


Together Again

by Richard_cypher



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Awkward Family Moments, Drama, Family, Fluff and Angst, Harry's learning what it's like to have a family, James Lives, Lily Lives, Poor Harry, Umbridge Bashing, but still adorable, everything changes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-23
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-11-03 22:52:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 35,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10977033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Richard_cypher/pseuds/Richard_cypher
Summary: Wands are finicky things... What if that night in the graveyard Priori Incantatem actually did bring Harry's parents back to life? Life just got a bit more complicated - and nothing will ever be the same.





	1. Forgotten Memories and the Forbidden Forest

**Author's Note:**

> This is a republish of the same work from Fanfiction.net

**Chapter 1:**

**Forgotten Memories**

**And**

**The Forbidden Forest**

"Hello, sweetie," Lily cooed, patting her son on the head. "What are you up to, hmm?"

Baby Harry just looked at her and giggled, ignoring the bottle he'd been drinking before his mother's arrival. "All done?" Lily asked sweetly. He giggled. "I'll take that as a yes."

Harry rattled his high chair, trying to find a way out. Lily walked over to the sink and set the bottle in it. She turned around, and laughed at his antics. "You, Harry James Potter, take far too much after your father," She said to herself. She picked him up. "Guess who's coming to visit?" she said to him, walking into the living room carrying him on her hip. "Sirius." Harry looked up at his mother, blankly.

Lily sighed. " _Uncle Padfoot_ ,” she emphasized. It baffled her that her son only knew the man by his Marauder name. Although she reasoned that she shouldn’t be that surprised.

"Pafoo?" Harry asked happily.

"Yes, Harry, Padfoot's coming with Daddy."

Harry started giggling uncontrollably, eyes lighting up like Christmas lights. "Pafoo! Pafoo, pafoo, pafoo, da-ey, pafoo!" He started to wriggle excitedly on her hip. Lily laughed again, as she sat on the floor, and set him on her lap. She took her wand out of a pocket.

"Accio, book!" She said, flicking her wand towards the table at the end of the couch. The book soared through the air, catching Harry's attention. Harry stopped laughing and watched the book in wonderment as it flew into his mother's hands. "Oops! Wrong book. Too, bad," she said watching her son the entire time. "I suppose I"ll just have to put it back." Harry grinned madly.

"Wingardium Leviosa." The book floated into the air once more and started sailing towards one of the bookshelves on the far left of the room. Harry's eyes didn't move from the old leather book until it snuggled it's way between Standard Book of Spells, Year 7 and Quidditch World Cup, The Longest Match Ever Played.

"What would you like to read Harry?" She asked, smiling.

"Oh my god, Lils! You’re corrupting his poor little mind!" Sirius boomed as he entered the cottage, closing the front door behind him.

"Where's James?" Lily asked, ignoring his comment.

 

"Had to talk to the Grand Imperial Hoo-Hah about something."

"I wonder why?"

"Damned if I know."

Lily threw him a dirty look. "Watch your mouth, Sirius Black, there are little ears around," she snapped.

"Sorry… Where's my little prongslet?" Sirius said to himself, pretending not to see the one year old sitting in Lily's lap.

"Pafoo!"

"There you are Prongslet! How's my favorite-," he picked Harry up, "- godson?" Harry gave him a toothy grin. "Good, that's what I thought."

"He's your only godchild, Sirius," Lily said, matter-o-factly.

"Well of course he is, but he's still my favorite." Sirius tried to match Harry's weird smile. The toddler cackled in response. "Where did you get that insanely freakish smile, kid?" He asked himself.

James opened the front door, and threw his Auror robes on a nearby coat rack. "He sure didn't get it from me, that's for sure. It reminds me of Moony on a bad day, personally."

Sirius turned to his best mate. "I'm not so sure about that mate. I recall your mother having a growl quite similar to this," he replied, turning Harry around. Harry saw his father, and spread his arms out trying to grab at his father.

"How's my little monster! You been taking care of mummy for me?" Harry gave him the aforementioned grin.

James tilted his head and stared at his son for a moment, playfully. "You know, Padfoot, she only did that when she talked to you…"

Sirius did his best to look offended. “Shove it up your-.”

“Sirius!” Lily screeched.

IIIIIIIIIIIIII

Harry opened his eyes slowly, and yawned. He felt around for his glasses on the end table, lazily. He put them on and looked at the alarm clock and groaned. The clock read 7:30 a.m. _Why did he always have to wake up during the good dreams?_ He wondered to himself. The nightmares seemed to last forever, but the good ones were never long enough. _Was it even a dream?_ _It seemed so real_. Like it was a memory, or something. Dream Sirius looked a lot different the Sirius he knew. He didn't look as worried. He looked happier, carefree.

Maybe it was just a dream after all, he reasoned.

Harry had been having dreams like this on and off for the last few weeks. Dreams with his parents. And they seemed to get more realistic every night. This one was like it happened only yesterday. He threw back the faded blue covers, stood up and stretched. Yawning again, Harry walked over to the desk to throw Hedwig an owl treat. She hooted happily, and ate the treat in one bite.

His jet black and unruly hair was flat on one side from being slept on all night. Other than that, it was just as messy as usual. Nothing he’d done with it had ever worked. The question of whether or not his father had had the same problem when he was alive crossed his mind, but it hurt too much to think about it.

He looked at himself in the mirror. His shirt was gray and baggy making him look more like a stick than he actually was. His jeans, another one of Dudley’s hand-me downs, were held up with a brown belt and hung loosely around his legs.

Aunt Petunia would start serving breakfast any minute now. _Best off to go down there before Dudley ate his breakfast_ , he decided. He sighed and made his way downstairs.

Harry passed a few pictures of Dudley's 8th birthday as he descended the stairs. The only thing that had changed about his cousin over the years was that he was, by far, larger. He took up an entire side of the kitchen table. They'd put Dudley on a diet last year, but it had apparently only lasted a few weeks after school started back up.

He walked into the kitchen. Uncle Vernon was sitting at the table reading the newspaper, a plate heaping with eggs and bacon in front of him. Dudley was sitting in his chair watching the television and ignoring everything around him (with the exception of his breakfast, of course). Aunt Petunia was cleaning a pan full of bacon grease across the kitchen. He sat at the table quietly in front of the slice of toast she’d set out for him.

"Hear this, Petunia!" Uncle Vernon boomed. "Some bloke in London spent 10,000 pounds on a security system 'cause he had a feeling something bad was about to happen."

"That's sure not going help him," Harry muttered under his breath, slightly depressed. He was hoping for something about Voldemort. He nibbled his toast.

"People these days," Aunt Petunia said at the same time as Harry. Unfortunately Uncle Vernon's small ears heard more that Harry originally thought.

"What did you say," he said, as if Harry had just said a disgusting swear word.

"I said peopl-" Petunia said, upset about having to repeat herself, before Vernon cut in.

"Not you darling, him." The last word rolled off his tongue in disgust.

Petunia's long neck craned over to him, and gave him a dirty look. "What did he say, Vernon?”

"I said the guy's an idiot, that's all," Harry said quickly, trying to cover up what he'd actually said. He was horrible at lying.

"That's not what I heard," Vernon said, venomously.

"Well if you already knew, then why'd you ask?" Harry asked before he could close his mouth. Why'd he have to be flippant right now? Why?

Vernon looked as if he was about to blow up. _Is it worth it?_ The voice in the back of his mind said. Harry tried to conceal his laughter. "What are you laughing at, boy?"

"Nothing," Harry coughed, trying desperately not to laugh. By this point Dudley had pulled his gaze away from the television and was watching the exchange, hoping Harry would get in big trouble. He stared at them as he shoveled food from his father's plate into his mouth.

"Go. I don't care where, get out. Now." Vernon whispered his teeth clenched together. His face was purple.

"Vernon, think of what the neighbors will say!" Petunia said, worried.

He ignored her. "You have been a thorn in my side since you showed up on my damn door step! Everything that I've put up with from you for all these years and you have no respect." Vernon's eyes were about to pop out of their sockets.

"Sorry, I only respect people who deserve to be respected," Harry spat.

"Why you insolent-"

"Do you know even know what that means?" Harry said loudly, his voice dripping in sarcasm.

"When I get my hands on you boy, you'll wish you were with your freakish family!" Vernon hollered.

Harry yelled back. “I’M NOT A FREAK!”

IIIIIIIIIIIII

2 WEEK'S BEFORE:

HOGWARTS

Green. Brown. Everywhere. All around him. It felt like he was being suffocated by them. By the mist that hung around him. The cold. Everything. It was all blurry. He couldn't make out anything other than the tip of his nose.

He felt around with his hand for his glasses, as he lay there on his back. He felt something resembling his wand and grabbed it. "Accio glasses!" he whispered. Something whacked him in the head and landed on the ground right beside his left ear. He groaned, and picked the wire-framed glasses up.

He put them on his head. _Where the hell am I? What happened? How did I get here?_ The answers were on the tip of his tongue, right on the precipice of consciousness, but just out of reach. He looked around, in the hopes that something would jog his memory.

 Ancient pine trees towered above him, their long branches blocking out the light of the moon. Their roots were intertwined together. Everything was covered in moss of every color, and rotted leaves and needles littered the forest floor like carpeting.

Something red caught his eye. He turned on his side to get a better look at what it was. There was a woman in the leaves. Her body was almost covered in them. He watched, mind foggy, as her arms raised themselves out of the mound, and she sat up. The woman spat leaves out of her mouth, before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. _Who is she?_ He wondered.

She turned to him, just as confused as him. When he made eye contact with her almond shaped, emerald green eyes, it clicked. "Lily?" he croaked out through his bone dry mouth.

Her eyes widened. "James?"


	2. Petunia's Owl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily and James find a friend, Petunia finds a letter.

**Chapter 2:**

**Petunia's Owl**

Hot tears streamed down Lily’s face. "James, what happened?" She said through sobs. She helped him sit up. James sat there, breathing heavily, as the memory of what happened in Godric's Hollow suddenly sparked in his mind.

"I – I don't know, Lily flower," He responded quietly, hugging his wife tightly. "Where's Harry?" he whispered into her ear.

"Voldemort killed him," she sobbed into his shoulder. James closed his eyes painfully, as tears formed and fell down his face. _No! It couldn’t be!_ He thought desperately. _We took every precaution… We went into hiding… We used the Fidelius charm so he couldn’t find us –_ The realization hit him and made him want to vomit. Wormtail had betrayed them. He’d told Voldemort where they were. And now his son was dead…

"It's all my fault!" Lily wept, dragging his thoughts away from what he’d like to do to Peter Pettigrew when he found him.

"No it's not, flower." He tried to comfort her. "It's not your fault... It's mine. I'm the one who... who switched secret keepers, Lily. If I- If I hadn't changed at the last second, this wouldn't... of happened." He gave up all attempts of trying to talk and broke down crying. They sat there a few minutes leaning on each other and crying.

"Blimey! It ain't yer fault, It's Pettigrew's!" Both their heads snapped up, looking for the source of the noise.

"Hagrid?" James asked incredulously, wiping his nose.

The half-giant towered above them holding a large old lamp. "That's me!" He said happily. James slowly stood up and wiped his eyes. "Dumbledore's been waitin’ fer you two to show up. I don't reckon he was expecting to find you here though."

"Dumbledore sent you?" Lily asked, as James helped her up.

"Not really,” Hagrid shrugged. “He was figuring you’d show up at Godric's Hollow, not here. He planned to go to there tonight and look fer you. He's at an Order meetin' right now."

Lily looked around at their surroundings for the first time. “Where are we?” she sniffled.

James looked up at the trees. "The Forbidden Forest,” he realized out loud. We used to come here all the time. Sirius, Remus, me and… _him_ ," he choked out and hung his head in despair. Lily put her hand on his shoulder, comfortingly.

"We'd best be off," Hagrid said quickly, watching the trees. " The meetin’ will be over soon, and he’ll be wantin’ to see ya."

James lifted his head. His stag senses told him that something was off. “Order meeting? The next meeting isn’t until next weekend.”

"It's an emergency meetin'," Hagrid told them. "They're tryin’ to figure out what to do with Harry for the summer. The whole point is moot now, I s'pose."

"He's alive?" Lily sobbed, hopefully. "Harry's alive?"

Hagrid smiled kindly at her. "Healthy as a Hippogriff."

James hugged his wife. "Merlin's saggy left testicle! He's alright!"

IIIIIIIIIIIII

An owl swept in through the kitchen window and dropped a letter on the table next to Aunt Petunia. She screeched and batted her hands through the air, hoping the bird wouldn't come near her. Harry quickly slipped around his uncle and grabbed up the letter before they took it from him.

**Petunia Dursley**

**No. 4 Private Drive**

**Little Whinging, Surrey**

**Kitchen sink**

"Well, what does it say boy?" Vernon boomed. "They finally expel you? It’s about time they kicked out your sorry, good for nothing-"

Harry reread the address in confusion, ignoring the argument with his uncle for a moment. _Why would someone be sending Aunt Petunia a letter?_ He passed the letter to his aunt. "It's for you." Bored, and realizing that his entertainment was over, Dudley positioned himself so that he could see the television once again.

Petunia shakily took the letter from him and opened it up, holding it out and away from her as possible. Her face gradually turned milky white as she read.

"What is it dear?" Uncle Vernon asked. She passed the letter to him shakily. He read it few times before giving Harry a murderous look. "Upstairs, boy! Now." He snarled.


	3. Return of the Rat

**Chapter 3:**

**Return of the Rat**

"What does it say?" Harry asked, curiously.

"I said go!" Vernon spat at his nephew, his face changing between red and purple. He had now risen from his chair at the table, and his knuckles were clenched. He leaned over on the table, his fists supporting him.

Anger rose in Harry's stomach, threatening to choke him. He was so sick and tired of being treated like this. All he wanted to do was to punch his uncle across his big, fat, purple face. His fist clenched and unclenched as he stared daggers at his uncle. They looked at each other, not blinking. Neither of them were about to back down. Vernon's arms started shaking. From either anger, or the fact Vernon was supporting himself on his short, fat arms, Harry couldn't tell.

Something in Harry's head screamed at him to back off, to let his uncle win this one. It screamed that there were more important things going on than protecting his pride.

In his mind, an image formed. Voldemort stood there, the dead bodies of the people he'd killed laying at his feet. Their faces were blue and cold and clammy. Dozens of pairs of eyes stared out into space, their colors indistinguishable, for they no longer held the luster of life. Those eyes bored into him, into his soul. Dead. Lifeless. Their mouths hung open in past cries for mercy, and their faces fixed in looks of horror. Voldemort just stood there, looking at him... laughing. His snake-like body shook with uncontrolled laughter. He was laughing at him. Laughing at his lack of self-control. And the eyes looked at him, their dead faces looking upon him with disappointment.

 _I HAVE SELF CONTROL!_ He thought to himself. _I HAVE SELF-CONTROL! YOU DON'T!_ He screamed at the vision in his head. No matter how many times he said it, Harry could not seem to convince himself. _Back off,_ the voice in his head whispered, urgently. _Just ignore him,_ it begged. _Go upstairs, stay in your room. Don't come out unless you have to._ _Summer will be over before you know it._

After what seemed like hours of silence, Harry spoke. "Right, I’ll be upstairs," he said quickly and made a bee-line for the staircase, taking the steps two at a time. He closed his door and fell onto his bed, panting. He fought desperately to calm down, but it wouldn't work. He breathed into his pillow. What was wrong with him?

 _What did that letter say?_ He thought about the vision, and shuddered. _Where did it come from? Who sent it? Why'd they send it?_ Questions ran through his mind, making him restless. He couldn't take it anymore.

He stood up and walked over to the window. Slowly, he opened the curtains. Light flooded the room. Harry rested his arms on the window sill and watched the branches of an old tree swing in the warm summer breeze. He looked back into his room and spotted his broom leaning against the wall. _Looks like it needs some polishing,_ he said to himself. _That will calm me down._ He looked out the window and at the tree again. _Being a tree is so much easier,_ he thought, _they don't have to worry about people trying to kill them. They can just ignore the world._ As he looked at the tree something caught his eye. It was gone before it could register itself in his mind, but it looked like a scaly rat tail…

 He shook his head. _I'm going insane._ With that, Harry walked over to his open trunk and pulled out his broom polishing kit.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"Wormtail," Voldemort said, walking towards his servant menacingly. "What have you found?" Wormtail looked up his master fearfully.

"Harry Potter's wi- with his aunt and uncle m-m master," Wormtail fumbled quickly. “Just as we susp- suspected.

Voldemort thought for a second. "Is there anyone in the vicinity protecting him?" Voldemort asked. A plan was forming in his head.

"M-M-M-Mundungus Fletcher, my lord. He sh-shows u-up some t-t-times, my lord," Wormtail replied, his head bowed.

"Hmm." Voldemort stopped in front of the smaller man. "Do you fear me, Wormtail?"

"No, my lord, of-of course not." Wormtail laughed nervously.

"You lie!" Voldemort spat. "You fear me… I can taste it."

He walked  towards the table and fingered a dusty bottle of Ogden’s finest firewhiskey. Voldemort picked it up and took a swig. "Ahh. How nice it is to be alive, to be able to have a good strong drink. I haven't had firewhiskey for almost fourteen years. Do you know why?"

"Because of Harry Potter, my lord?" Wormtail whispered.

"EXACTLY!" Voldemort yelled, turning around to face his servant. Wormtail nearly jumped out of his skin. "Harry Potter, my arch enemy. Funny isn't it? A teenager, my arch enemy." He took another sip. "So sad these days, when a teenager is the strongest wizard they can muster to fight me. Too much muggle blood in the gene pool. Very few families these days believe in blood purity. Everybody's a muggle lover. Potter was one of them. Marrying a mudblood - despicable!" Voldemort spat. "And Black. So unlike the rest of the family. The Blacks were some of my most powerful supporters.”

"The Malfoy's are really the only ones left with pure blood and the right attitude,” he continued.  “Everyone else has gone soft… I have a job for you," Voldemort said turning around to look at him. "Potter's the only one in my way this time. I want you to bring him to me... Alive. We have some things to talk about, him and I. Make sure you’re not followed."

"Oh-oh thank you master! I won't let you down."  
"You had better not, Wormtail. Or you'll regret it."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

The walk back to the castle was quicker than James remembered it. And warmer that it should be for November. His stag senses tickled at him in the back of his mind that something wasn’t right…

Hagrid knocked on the door outside Dumbledore’s office, before opening the door. Dumbledore sat at a desk, Professor McGonagall leaning over his shoulder, pointing at something. James frowned. She looked older than he remembered. "Impossible, Dumbledore. I wouldn't trust him with making my brea-" she stopped speaking once she saw them. Her eyes watered and her features softened. "Lily and James Potter, alive again. Oh how we've all missed you." She walked around the desk, and hugged them. James and Lily hugged her back, smiling.

"Now, now, Professor McGonagall," Dumbledore interrupted, standing up. "We have to be sure." He looked at them, through his half-moon spectacles. James felt like he was a school child once again, being lectured about a prank gone wrong. Dumbledore turned around, and walked towards a door on the far side of the room.

"What's Potter doing here? Geez, Dumbledore, give the kid a break it's summer vacation, for god's sake!" one of the portraits on the wall said looking at James.

"Ah, shut it, Forescue, you idiot. That's not Potter," another portrait said.

"Well, he certainly doesn't look like a Malfoy, Dippet."

"That comment made absolutely no sense, Forescue."

"Not my fault your intelligence is not as high as mine."

"Oh, please, both of you," another sighed. It was a woman's voice. "If you'd listen every once in a while instead of arguing. He said _James_ Potter. Not _Harry_."

"Where have you been, Dilys. Dead means dead. People don't just pop out of the damn ground."

"Watch your language, Phineas!" McGonagall screeched, staring daggers at his portrait. "No wonder you were fired!" McGonagall turned around to watch Dumbledore open the door, revealing a pensieve.

"Damned hag," Phineas muttered under his breath, rubbing his forehead. Dilys heard him and started laughing so hard, she fell off her chair and knocked her head on it. She rubbed her silver ringlets and continued to laugh. McGonagall wheeled around, furious. "I HEARD THAT PHINEAS NIGELLUS BLACK!" She yelled at him. He just stuck out his tongue and gave her the finger. James coughed into the crook of his arm trying not to laugh. Lily seemed horrified. She apparently had never heard the portraits arguing. Nor had she known that one of Sirius's ancestors had been a headmaster.

"That is enough, Phineas," Dumbledore commanded. "I believe we've had a talk about inappropriate hand signals and language before."

"Sorry," Phineas mumbled.

"Don't feel bad, Phineas. Everybody wants to upset Minerva. It's just so much fun." McGonagall threw him a nasty look. "James, would you come here. You too Lily. I have a test for you," Dumbledore said nicely, beckoning them over with his hand. They walked around the desk warily. "Not to worry."

"Now, James I want you to remember... The first Order of the Phoenix meeting. Think hard, now." James closed his eyes and concentrated on the memory aware of where Dumbledore was going with this. Dumbledore pulled his wand out of his robes. He gently tapped James's temple, and pulled it away. A string of what looked like silver smoke followed the wand out of James's head, until it snapped. Dumbledore stirred it into the pensieve, slowly. Then he stuck his head in it.

_James and Lily walked into Dumbledore's office, hand in hand. At least twenty people sat in chairs sat in a large circle. From across the room, Sirius stood up, waving at them. Lily and James made their way through the crowd of people who'd yet to sit down towards their friend._

_"Good, we're not late," Lily said as they sat down next to Sirius._

_"Can't stand to be late can you, Lils?" Sirius rolled his eyes. James laughed._

_"Oh, help me Remus," Lily said to Remus, who'd just sat down next to James. "I'm surrounded by Ignoramuses."_

_"Igna-whatis?" Sirius asked, acting confused._

_Remus leaned over so he could see Sirius. "She means you an idiot," he said simply._

_"Am not," Sirius complained._

_"Ah, Potter, Black. Thought I'd be seeing you two here," Moody said limping up to them._

_"Of course you would, Mad-eye. With that damn eye of yours, what don't you see?" Sirius said sarcastically._

_"Pretty women?" James laughed._

_"Aye, Potter. Pretty women are hard to come by. And smart ones, even more rare." He looked at Lily. "But of course, you have to get what no one else has." Lily blushed furiously. Sirius laughed. "What are you laughing at Black? You've not found a woman who was pretty or smart, let alone both." Sirius laughed harder._

_Across the room, Dumbledore stood up. "If everyone would find a seat, please. We need to start the meeting." Moody limped off to go sit with at an empty seat by the door, his magic eyes flying around in his head..._

Dumbledore chuckled, pulling his head out of the pensieve. "Alastor Moody. Good man." He looked at Lily. "Come here Lily, you're turn." James stepped sideways, making room for his wife.

"Professor McGonagall, if you would be so kind as to remember a private conversation with Lily, here. I don't seem to remember a time when the two of us were alone, talking about something other than class schedules." Dumbledore smiled at her.

"Of course, Professor!" McGonagall said, moving so she was in front of the pensieve. She stared into its silvery depths, thinking of what thought to use. Several memories flashed in her head, but one stuck out above the rest. The night Lily had told her she was pregnant. She smiled, remembering Lily blushing. It was a private memory. Only the two of them knew about it.

She shifted her eyes to Lily. "Lily, remember our little 'talk.'" Lily smiled and closed her eyes, her brow furrowing in concentration. McGonagall tapped Lily's forehead gently, pulling out a long strand of wispy silver smoke. She set it into the pensieve and, following Dumbledore's example, stuck her head into it.

She pulled her head out and started crying as she embraced Lily. She patted her back until breaking apart and squeezing the life out of James. Dumbledore stood aside from this display of affection, contentedly. Minerva pulled apart fanning her face. "Please, excuse me, Headmaster. I must yell at Peeves. I was after him when you intercepted me. According to Sir Nicolas, He's been 'rearranging' the Great Hall." Dumbledore nodded and she walked out briskly, closing the door behind her.

"Hagrid, if you will, kindly guard the door," Dumbledore asked happily. Hagrid who'd been watching from the back of the room, smiled, unable to say anything. He turned, and reopened the door. He walked out and closed the door.

"Now, we get to the hard part." James raised an eyebrow. "Because I'm sure you would like to know what's going on," Dumbledore looked at them sadly. They nodded. "Very well," he sighed.

"I only know one way to tell this to you... It's in no longer 1981... It is in fact 1995."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a side note: I love comments and reviews. :)


	4. The Letter and the Story

**Chapter 4:**

**The Letter**

**and**

**The Story**

"I only know one way to tell this to you... It's in no longer 1981... It is in fact 1995." Dumbledore looked at them pitifully. Lily's emerald green eyes were widened in horror, tears starting to well in the corners, and James just stared into space, a pained look on his face.

Lily opened and closed her mouth a few times, wanting to say something, but not knowing how to say it. James spoke for her. "How?" He whispered, his voice cracking.

"I don't know for sure. I have a few theories, but now is not the time for them," Dumbledore replied simply.

"He's 15," Lily said softly, crying. Dumbledore looked at her sorrowfully.

"In a few weeks I'm afraid." James held his wife as she cried, tears falling down his face as well. Thousands of questions flew through his mind. Dumbledore stood up slowly, and walked around his desk. "Now, now. It's not all that bad," He said comfortingly, patting their shoulders. "He's grown into a strong young man. Just like his parents." Lily calmed down a little at this.

"All those years with Sirius. He must be strong," James laughed shakily, trying to ease the tension the only way he knew how.

Dumbledore looked at him with a pained expression. "Perhaps we should start this story from the very beginning," He said, returning to his chair behind the old desk. "Lily, when you sacrificed yourself to protect Harry that night, something strange and wonderful happened. When Voldemort used the killing curse on Harry, it backfired. Something you did, made it backfire, and Harry survived with nothing but a scar on his forehead.”

“Blood magic,” she whispered. James snapped his head in her direction, incredulously. “It was blood magic.” She wiped her nose. “I – I found a book a few months- right before we went into hiding. On witches magic. I found a spell in it that would protect Harry if something should happen to us.”

Dumbledore nodded knowingly. “I suspected as much.”

“So he’s dead? Voldemort?” James asked in disbelief. “The prophecy is completed?”

“I’m afraid not, James… That night, when the spell rebounded, Voldemort lost his corporeal body, and went into hiding. Many thought he was dead, but I knew he would return. I sent him to live with your sister, Petunia-”

"WHAT!" Lily yelled angrily. "You left my son with Petunia? We left explicit instructions that if something were to happen to us, Sirius and Remus would take care of him!"

"Sirius was sent to Azkaban," Dumbledore said calmly. Lily stopped her ranting immediately.

"What?" She asked confused.

"No," James said painfully, and put his head in his hands. "No, not Sirius."

"I'm afraid so, James."

"What?" Lily repeated, looking from Dumbledore to James.

"They sent him to Azkaban for our deaths. Because we told no one in the sudden change of secret keepers," James said quietly, rubbing his forehead.

Lily's jaw dropped, and her eyes widened. "So Peter's out there on the loose, while an innocent man rots in jail. How could they not give him a fair trial? It's outrageous!" She jumped out of her chair and strode purposefully towards the door.

"You can't just go walking into Azkaban and scream at some Dementors Lily," Dumbledore said gently. "I'm trying to tell you a story. And if you'd listen to all of it without interruptions such as these, you can see Sirius sooner. Now, if you please, take a seat." Lily grudgingly sat back down in her chair, making it clear she was not happy. "Where was I?"

"Sending _my_ son to live with his Aunt," Lily growled.

"Ah yes. I sent him to live with his Aunt and Uncle because I did not believe Voldemort was dead, merely had his body taken away from him. And with all the Death Eaters roaming around everywhere looking for him, it was the safest place I could send him. You have to understand, Britain was chaos in the weeks that followed that night. Frank and Alice were tortured into insanity. There were squads of Death Eater’s out looking for Harry, to avenge their fallen leader. The only way to protect Harry was to send him somewhere safe. For the spell you cast on him would work after I lengthened it, was to send him to his only blood relatives. If I had not of done this, I highly doubt Harry would even be alive today." Dumbledore said, calmly, resting his hands on the table. James looked concerned at the old man's last statement.

"So you see, Sirius, being his usual... impulsive self, went straight after Pettigrew after checking on young Harry. He cornered him in a muggle area, but Pettigrew managed to trick him,” Dumbledore paused and sighed before he continued. "He blew up thirteen muggles, cut off his finger, and transformed into his animangus form. And he left Sirius red handed. He was immediately sent to Azkaban without a trial.”

"WHAT!" both Lily and James yelled.

James saw red. “Sent to Azkaban without a trial?” he repeated, incredulously. “You are Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, how could you overlook something as big as a _trial_?”

"Everything was a mess in the aftermath of your deaths,” Dumbledore repeated. “I have been ashamed of myself since I discovered Sirius’s innocence. But the evidence was stacked against him. No one in the Ministry knew Peter Pettigrew was an animangus. And everyone understood, myself included, that he was your secret keeper. None of us knew of the switch.”

The older wizard sighed. “Justice will be served, I assure you." Dumbledore smiled at the thought of Sirius deciding to scare the life out of Harry's relatives.

He then continued to tell them stories of their son throughout his time spent at Hogwarts. How Harry, at only fourteen, had already escaped Voldemort more than his parents. The fact that he'd been the youngest seeker in a century (James puffed out his chest at this, while Lily held her head in her hands mumbling "not another one."), the troll, the sorcerer's stone, Quirrel, The Chamber of Secrets and Lockheart. He told them everything he knew except...

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

Harry opened his eyes sleepily, smiling. He'd had another dream about his parents. They had been arguing over taking him for a ride on James's Comet-260. He smiled bigger thinking about it. Harry couldn't help but feel giddy, until he looked at the clock on the wall. It was 2 in the morning. He got up quietly, tiptoeing to the bedroom door. He snuck down stairs to have a glass of water, avoiding the creaking stair that was sure to wake his aunt up who, despite her little ears, had a great sense of hearing. He walked into the kitchen and took a cup out of the top cabinet. Filling it up with water up from the sink, he sat down at the table drinking slowly.

Something brown caught his eye, laying in the trash can. Curiosity got the better of him, and Harry walked slowly over to the trash can, keeping an eye out for his Aunt and Uncle. _It's the letter!_ He inwardly yelled in surprise. He carefully pulled the letter out of the trash.

Dear Mrs. Petunia Dursley of #4 Privet Drive

I am pleased to inform you that your sister, Lily Evans Potter, along with her husband, James Potter, were found in proximity of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on the 6th of July. They are currently being nursed back to health and will arrive within the week to retake custody of your nephew.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Harry stared at the letter, his jaw hanging. He couldn't believe it. Alive? Impossible. But it was in Dumbledore's handwriting. He wouldn't speak of such things unless they were true. His eyes widened. Someone was breathing down his neck.

"How dare you," Vernon growled, grabbing the back of his nephew's shirt. "Going through things that aren’t yours." He hauled Harry away from the trash can...


	5. Number 12 Grimmauld Place

**Chapter 5:**

**Number 12 Grimmauld** **Place**

"What about the third Task," James asked, equally mesmerized and horrified by the story of his son's adventures.

Dumbledore looked at him sadly. "I'm afraid most of it I have no right to explain to you. But what I can say-" Dumbledore sighed, "is that Voldemort came back to life and a student was killed. That's all can say. You'd have to ask Harry what happened."

Lily's jaw dropped. She had been hoping that Voldemort _had_ died, despite what the old wizard had said. That somehow her son would not have to complete the prophecy. Silence hung like a blanket over Dumbledore's office. James was thinking the same thing as Lily. Lily seemed to have gained her voice back as she said, "A student _killed_ _in_ Hogwarts. He must be more powerful now then he was before," she said softly, more to herself than to the others in the room.

Dumbledore nodded sagely and stood up to walk over you Fawkes perch. He scratched the phoenix’s feathers behind its neck, his back turned from them. "I'm afraid he's only getting stronger… Voldemort is gaining more followers every day.” He turned back to look at them. “We think he's going after the Dementors. And according to Hagrid, he's already made contact with the giants. But thankfully we've found safe headquarters for the Order. You can thank Sirius for that."

James's perked up at the mention of his best mate. "Where is he? Sirius, I mean?"

The old wizard gave him a small smile. "He should be here along Remus any moment now. I asked Professor McGonagall to fetch them- and to debrief them on the... _Situation_ ," He finished, waving a hand gently at the two of them.

As if on que, Sirius and Remus emerged from behind the heavy oak door.

"Ah, speak of the ex-convict," Phineas said sarcastically.

"Ah! There you are! We were just talking about you,” Dumbledore said brightly, returning to his seat. “I assume Professor McGonagall informed you of our situation," Dumbledore said as soon as Remus closed the door behind them.

"Damn right, she did. Where are they?" Sirius demanded.

"We’re right here, old man," James said, standing up.

"James!" Sirius exclaimed, squeezing the new-found life out of his best friend. “I missed you so much, Prongs,” he dry sobbed into his best friend’s shoulder.

Remus, with a big grin, walked up to Lily and embraced her. "You have no idea how happy we are to see you two."

Sirius let go of his best mate and gave Lily a bear hug as soon as Remus detached, swinging her around in a circle. She yelped in surprise. James laughed and pulled Remus into a hug. He was so overjoyed to see his friends alive and well.

He pulled out of the hug, and held Remus out at arm’s length, inspecting his friend. He seemed wiser, it that was even possible, than when he had last seen him. Older too, much older. His face was heavily scarred, and James couldn’t help but realize how hard his _furry little problem_ had been since they’d last spoke, last week. _Years ago_ , he had to remind himself. He’s been on his own for years…

 A glance at Sirius revealed the same thing. With the tangled mess of long, black hair and the gaunt face, he looked nothing like the Sirius he had known. It hurt, knowing that somehow, he and Lily had missed not only Harry’ entire life, but such a large portion of that of his best mate’s. And at what cost? Leaving a child an orphan, to grow up neglected and malnourished, both physically and emotionally? Having your best mate arrested for your murder?

Guilt rose in his chest. How many years had the two of them gone without being able to see their pride and joy, their _son_ , turn into a fine young man? To teach him to ride a broom. To keep Moony occupied during his transformations. Or help Padfoot escape his many one night stands. Helping them through everything they’d been through.

But if they were there, would any of it have happened? Would Harry feel the need to play hero, if he felt he wasn't the only one capable of doing something. Would he fall into Voldemort's traps if he didn't want to revenge his parent's lives? He just wasn't sure.

"Ah, well I have nothing more to say. Lily, James, you'll be staying at headquarters," Dumbledore said, interrupting the emotionally charged atmosphere.  He pulled a piece of parchment out of his desk and scribbled something on it before handing it to James.

James looked down at it.

_# 12 Grimmauld Place, East London_

He passed it to Lily. Reading over it, she nodded and handed it back to the headmaster. "Memorized? Good." He tapped the parchment with his wand, and it burst into flames. "I look forward to seeing you at the next meeting. You may stop by Gringotts if you wish. I had your wands and the contents of Godric’s Hallow that survived the encounter placed in our family vault." He handed James an old brass key.

Lily turned to Dumbledore. “When can we see Harry? I want my son,”

Dumbledore gave her a small smile. “Soon. I will contact Petunia Dursley this evening.”

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"Wonderful curb appeal," James said dryly, looking up at it. He ran a hand through his hair. Sirius barked in agreement, having had to transform into Snuffles for their trip to Gringotts.

They made their way across the dark street towards the grimy house. There was no keyhole or letterbox, though James wasn't really expecting it in the first place. The few windows there were, were covered in years of grime. James shifted the pack on his back full of clothes and necessities they’d recovered from the family vault.

Lily shivered involuntarily, and pulled her cloak tighter around herself. James saw this and went to give her the cloak he was wearing. Sirius walked briskly next to Lily and James, in between the two of them.

"Out of my way, Pa- _Snuffles_ ," he said, smiling. Sirius growled at him. "She's mine, thank you." And with that he pushed the big black dog away with his foot. He gave James a glowering look before positioning himself to walk next Remus who had, much to his dismay, had tied him up in a leash and collar after they'd left Diagon Alley. Ever since, Sirius had been in a sour mood, occasionally attempting to bite at Remus's heels.

The houses surrounding the grimy mansion, were old and worn. Towels and blankets stood in the windows, acting as curtains. Off in the distance, a stereo was booming music that was even to Lily, who was accustomed to muggle music, quite putrid. James kicked an empty soda can absentmindedly, thinking. He saw Lily shiver again. She was trying not to show it, but she was cold. Lovingly, James opened up his cloak and covered her up in it with him. She snuggled into him. "I love you," he whispered quietly in her ear, purposefully blowing into it.

"Stop that, you!" she said playfully, swatting his face away from her ear. Smiling, James pulled his head close again. She giggled, and tried to swat him away again. They walked awkwardly, trying to fit under the small cloak together. Remus stopped at the door, and knocked loudly. Nothing happened. He knocked again.

Why don't you just ring the doorbell," James said, reaching for it.

"I'll tell you later," Remus said smacking his hand away from the button.

"Yes, mother," James teased, bringing his arm back into the warmth of the cloak.

"Be nice," Lily scolded.

Behind the door they could hear the various clicks of locks turning. The door swung open revealing the entry room slightly. "And I thought the outside was bad," James said out of the side of his mouth. The walls around them were covered in peeling wallpaper, threadbare carpets, gas lamps and a very cobwebby candelabra of golden serpent heads. Remus put his finger over his lips, in a gesture warning them to be quiet and gently closed the door and replaced the locks. No longer in the public eye, Sirius transformed back into his human form. They tip-toed inside through the door, Lily's face contorted in confusion. James opened up the cloak letting Lily out of his tight grasp.

A red-haired man was waiting for them in the hall, smiling at them excitedly, looking as if he were withholding a thousand questions. He gestured them to follow him. They walked in silence, following. They walked down a set of stairs, past a shelf of particularly nasty items that Lily had an inkling were not legal. They reached a door, shortly after where the shelf was. Behind it, they could hear voices and the scrapings of forks on plates. The man opened the door beckoning them inside. He closed the door behind them.

"Well, they've certainly changed a bit," Alastor Moody said gruffly, his glass eye spinning around a few times.

"Oh, yes, I nearly forgot," Remus said, before taking off the appearance spell he’d placed on them to hide their identity. “Apologies.”

A group of red-haired boys sat huddled together at the end of the large table big enough to fit at least forty people comfortably. They seemed not to have noticed what was going on. A girl with bushy brown hair came up to them and joined in the conversation.

Sirius started undoing the collar tied around his neck. "What are you doing?" a plump woman (also with red hair) said brusquely to Sirius. "Leave that on there, maybe it'll help keep you under control."

"I am not out of control!" Sirius said, defensively.

"Arthur Weasely," The red haired man said, excitedly. "Wonderful to actually meet you."

They smiled in return, and exchanged greetings with everybody, including a very emotional Mrs. Weasely who went on about crying and mumbled about Harry finally having some luck in life.

"Those over there are Fred and George, you can't really tell them apart. They're identical down to the last freckle. So don't feel bad if you guess wrong, they're used to it." Fred and George looked wounded, back at their father. "And there’s Ron, and our youngest, Ginerva."

Ron, who hadn't been paying attention, too busy arguing with the twins about something, looked up confused. "Harry? What are you doing here?"

"Ronald. Do you ever pay attention to anything?" the bushy haired girl scolded. "That's Lily and _James_ Potter. Not Harry!"

"How do you always know everything, Hermione?"

"Because I was paying attention when McGonagall came and announced they were coming."

"Oh... Hello," he said, embarrassed.

 James sniffed the air. “Whatever that is, it smells delicious.”

 Molly blushed at the compliment. “It will be done in just a few minutes.” She began ushering the group into chairs. “Now, sit down all of you. You look starving.”

Sirius sat down dramatically next to Alastor. “Completely famished. I haven’t eaten since lunch. It’s been terrible. Truly.”

Lily and James settled down next to him. “Haven’t eaten since lunch?” James teased. “Please Padfoot, I haven’t eaten in 13 plus years. I think I win.” Sirius barked a laugh and clapped him on the shoulder.

James and Sirius turned to find two pairs of identical brown eyes staring at them in awe. Fred and George were leaned towards them staring at them with worshiping faces. Sirius picked up a fork and poked Fred.

"Ouch!" Fred said, pulling his arm away.

"You two didn't know?" Ron said, on the verge of laughing.

"You knew!" Fred and George said, disbelievingly.

"Know what?" Ginny sighed.

"My dear little sister, we are in the presence of _the Marauders_ ," George sighed, looking at James lovingly.

"Good for them," Ginny remarked, dryly.

"You don't understand, Gin. These people are the secret of our success. Where would we be if we didn't nick the Marauders Map from Filch's office, first year?" Fred stated emotionally.

"Getting higher O.W.L.'s?" Hermione drawled. "Or doing something with your Hogwarts career other than trying to send Harry a toilet seat while he was in the hospital wing, perhaps."

"He would have liked it if Pomfrey hadn't deemed it disgusting, revolting and unhygienic," George argued.

"If you'd nearly been killed by You-know-who, you'd appreciate some humor in your life," Fred said defensively.

"Wait, you sent him a toilet seat?" Sirius asked, surprised.

"There's a lot about us you don't know, Mr. Marauder, sir," the twins said together...

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

Harry Potter stared at the wall, his face a mask of absent-mindedness. But in truth, this was not so. Thousands, no _millions_ , of questions ran through his mind. One word stuck out through all of these thoughts, a proverbial flashing sign. _Alive_ ** _._** He couldn't get past that one word. That combination of letters. It gnawed at the back of his brain, forcing it to reverberate in his skull.

It made absolutely no sense at all to him. They were _dead_. How could they have come back to life? It was impossible. Simply too good to be true. Thoughts like these drag his subconscious mind into memories of his duel with Voldemort. The image of Voldemort laughing at him from the top of a hill dead bodies flashed once again his mind. It was exactly like something Voldemort would do to try to get at him. Convince him that his parents were alive, let him grow attached, and then pull the floor out from under him.

He would prove to that he wasn't a little child to be emotionally played around with.

 Voldemort would have to do a lot more than this to trap him. But the writing looked _so_ like Dumbledore's… In his heart, he wanted it to be true. He could barely imagine being held by his mother and father. To be loved unconditionally. Moving away from here. His eyes watered and his breath caught in his throat as he imagined being held by his mother. Harry could almost feel her hands going through his hair, and his father's hand on his shoulder. It threatened to choke him. Try as he might, he was confused. He didn't know what to think. Trust his heart and the belief that the headmaster was right, or that they were really Death Eaters out to get him? He curled up against the bed as he sat in the floor, a warm July breeze rustling papers on the rickety desk. He sighed. Dragging himself up from the floor, he walked out of his bedroom.

He walked through the brown lawns and the parched ground, wandering aimlessly thinking about the events of the last 24 hours.

His uncle had caught him with the letter and insisted that he be locked up in his room until term started, with no food. His Aunt, on the other hand, was terrified what her sister would do if she found out how they had treated her son. She convinced her wildly angry husband that they couldn't punish him, because his parents could show up at any minute. Grudgingly, Vernon murmured that she was right under his breath and went to bed, but not before threatening to punish him if he did anything else, parents or no.

The sun was setting, and Harry knew he should be going back home but instead, he walked towards the park, jumping the fence, and heading towards the swing. He sat there for at least an hour trying not to think when he heard noises from up the street.

He pulled his wand out of his pocket, stuck it quickly back in as he recognized the sounds. Dudley and his gang were riding towards the park, most likely to vandalize it. Dudley and his friends noticed the skinny, raven haired boy sitting on the swing staring at them as they rode closer.

"What are you doing here?" Dudley asked bravely, trying to hide the fear in his voice.

"What's it to you?" Harry replied sharply.

"Get him, Big D!" One of the members of the gang said. Dudley's eyes widened, at the thought of trying to beat up his freakish cousin.

"Yah, Ickle Diddykins, come and get me." In the background, certain members sniggered.

"How dare you call me that!" Dudley said angrily.

"Oh, I'm sorry Dinky Diddydums. I just figured that since your friends called by your nick name, I could too,” Harry replied in the most sickeningly sweet voice he could muster.

Dudley started to say something then thought better of it. He turned around to face his gang. "Let's get out of here." And so, they said they're goodbyes, each one riding off on their bicycles towards their houses.

Soon, only Harry and Dudley remained in the park. "What do you want?" Dudley asked fearfully.

"Not so brave without your friends are you, popkin?"

"Well at least I'm brave in bed," Dudley said a-matter-o-factly.

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Harry demanded. "What do you mean I'm not brave in bed?"

"You’re always whining in your sleep. _Cedric, no Cedric, don't die. Nooo!_ " Dudley mimicked in a whiny, high pitched voice. "Who is this Cedric bloke anyway? Your girlfriend?" He jumped back as Harry pulled his wand out of his pocket and pointed it at him. "You wou-wouldn't dare. Mum and Dad will-will kill you. And- and you'll be expelled from that school."

Harry was about to reply to this when a familiar feeling spread down his spine. Dementors. Dudley apparently felt it to, but thought Harry had cast a spell on him. He ran as fast as his pudgy legs would carry him, down the alley way between Wisteria walk and Privet Drive.

"No!" Harry screamed, running after his cousin. "You're running towards them! Dudley stop!" All around, the lights went out, in a blink. Fear crawled up Harry's spine as he ran. He grabbed at Dudley blindly until he made contact with him. Dudley wheeled around punching him in the face, knocking Harry to the ground, his glasses and wand flying away from him in the darkness.

Dudley screamed as one of the Dementors grabbed at him. Frantically, Harry searched around for his glasses and wand. He felt his wand on his fingertips, as one of the Dementors swooped down on him. He stretched fingers and grabbed the wand. Jumping up, he turned around to face it, his glasses forgotten.

"Expecto-" A pair of paws knocked into his chest, making him fall over again. He whacked his head on the ground, but he could have sworn he had seen Professor Lupin with his wand out. He faded into unconsciousness...


	6. Number 12 Grimmauld Place (Part 2)

**Chapter 6:**

**Number 12 Grimmauld Place (Part 2)**

"Expect-" A pair of paws knocked into his chest, making him fall over again. He whacked his head on the ground, but he could have sworn he had seen Professor Lupin with his wand out. He faded into unconsciousness...

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"Sirius Black!" Lily screamed, marching towards him.

"What?" _Whack!_ She slapped him across the face. "What the hell was that for?!" Sirius yelled, stumbling back from the attack.

"You've knocked him unconscious! You could have killed him!" she screeched, slapping the other side of his face. Meanwhile, James and Remus were sitting with the unconscious Harry, watching Lily smack the daylights out of their best mate. James was trying not to laugh, while Remus just rolled his eyes and put Harry's glasses in his pocket.

"Accio wand!" Remus said with a flick of his wand, not being entertained by the fight unfolding before him. Harry's wand went flying towards his open hand. He gave it to James. "Here." James nodded and stuck the wand into the inner pocket of his cloak, before looking down at his son and pulled out his own wand from the holster on his arm. He casted a quick diagnostic charm, and discovering that Harry was fine, just unconscious, and put it away again. He wiped a loose strand of jet black hair off of his son’s face. _He really is the spitting image of me_ , he thought wondrously.

"If you'd give me a chance to explain myself instead of beating the crap out of me!" Sirius retorted, retreating from her. James glanced back up at his angry wife. “He’s fine. Just unconscious.”

"Fine then! You have 30 seconds."

"Thank you!"

"25 seconds."

"You're serious about this 30 second thing aren't you?"

"20 seconds," she replied tapping her foot impatiently.

"Okay, okay.” Sirius ran a hand through his head. “Do you want him expelled? He's already gotten lucky twice and didn't get in trouble, but it's not going to happen again. Fudge isn’t likely to lift a finger to help him again. I was trying to stop him from using magic. It's not like I was trying to knock out my godson."

Lily deflated. “He’s gotten caught using magic twice?” she repeated, incredulously and gave her husband side eye. “I was hoping he didn’t take after you, James.”

Sirius smiled at her, cheekily, pleased he was no longer the subject of her ire. “What part of the last four years gave you the impression he was the rule following, studious type?”

Something caught his eye further down the alley. A very large teenage boy was attempting (very badly) to run away from them.  “Looks like we have a problem…”

"What," Remus sighed.

"Fatso the cousin. That's what."

"Sirius," Lily scoffed. "That _Fatso the cousin_ happens to be my nephew."

"I'm well aware," he replied, drying.

Lily sank to her knees in front of her son’s unconscious form, and smiled lovingly down at him. “I’ll check on him when we get to Petunia’s house,” she told him before returning her full attention to her son. “He’s so handsome…”

James smiled. "Just like his old man.”

"Moony, take Harry back to headquarters, will you? Lily and I go pick up his things and check on blubb- _our nephew,_ ” he corrected as his wife gave him a warning look _._ “…And Sirius, We might need you for the scare factor." she raised her eyebrow. James handed Remus Harry’s wand. "Just in case."

"Alright," Remus said quietly. He picked Harry up gently (the last thing he wanted was to get on Lily's bad side). They were gone with a POP!

IIIIIIIIIIIII

Lily rang the doorbell. "I don't want to do this," she whispered to herself. James put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She took a deep breath. The door opened, revealing a large beefy man with no neck and a purple face.

"Vernon," Lily said politely. James nodded his head.

"Where is he?" Vernon said angrily, his eyes wild. "I know you've got him. When I get my hands on him I'll-"

"You'll do what?" James said dangerously.

"Are you threatening me, sir?" Vernon boomed, trying to regain his dignity.

"It depends. What are you planning to do to _my son_?" James asked, emphasizing the last two words.

“That boy nearly killed my Dudley," Vernon said bravely.

"Vernon," Lily replied tiredly. "None of us want this to last too long, so let's get this going. We're here to collect Harry's things. Then we're gone."

"10 minutes tops," James added, resisting the urge to punch his brother-in-law across in the nose. Sirius didn't look to far away himself. Vernon thought about this for a while. _Get this done with before the neighbors see, or get blown to itty bits._ He grunted and opened the door all the way.

"Thank you," Sirius said sarcastically, as they walked in. Vernon quickly closed the door, before the neighbors saw what was going on.

"Petunia! We have -um- visitors," Vernon said loudly. A bony woman came in the hall out of the kitchen carrying a cup of tea. A cup of tea she dropped promptly after seeing her sister in her house.

"Lily," Petunia said shakily.

"Petunia.”

"Padfoot, can you find his room?" James asked watching Vernon like a hawk.

"No problem, only have to find the one with the doggy flap and all the locks. Can't be that hard," Sirius said, as he stepped up onto the staircase. He paused. “Oh yes, Dursley. I know about that.”

Lily wheeled on Vernon. “What?”

"How dare you sir. You prance into my house and then accuse me of such things," Vernon said loudly, acting offended.

"Come, would you like to see? The accusations are true," Sirius replied, flippantly.

"No, thanks," James muttered though his clenched jaw. "I'll take your word for it, Padfoot." Sirius climbed the stairs quickly

"I think we should have a little chat, _brother_ ," James said quietly, his eyes a light with anger.

"About?" Vernon said in an unusually high voice. He gulped.

"You see, specific sources tell me that my son was not treated particularly fairly. And well, I would hate to find out the rumors were true. Perhaps we can clear this matter up?” he added, dangerously.

Vernon opened his mouth to reply, but Lily cut him off. "I can't believe you, Petunia!" she snapped. "Treating someone like that. A child? I never thought you'd be that- that _monstrous_. Locks? On his door? Why would you do that? To your _nephew_?”

"He has been a thorn in my side ever since they dropped him on our doorstep," Petunia argued back, placing her hands on his hips. “Owls swooping in at every moment, strange things happening constantly... He blew up Marge! _Like a balloon_!” she added, exasperatedly. “Now, I tried my best to prune the magic out of him, to make him normal, but-“

"He's a boy, not a rose bush, Tunie!" Lily sobbed.

"Don't call me that," Petunia spat.

James looked at her with complete contempt. “Accidental magic? You locked him up because of a bit of _ACCIDENTAL MAGIC_?” He shouted.

“A bit?” Vernon said hotly. “He blew up my sister, dropped a floating cake on my boss, _attacked_ my son, had that giant of a man mutilate him… And that’s just after he started that freakish school of his! He’s had it out for us from the beginning.”

“Had it out for you?” Lily repeated, incredulously, furiously wiping away tears. “It’s not something he could have controlled!”

A loud thumping noise indicated Sirius coming back down the stairs with Harry’s things.

James glanced over at his friend. “Is that all?” he asked, looking at the trunk and the owl cage. Hedwig hooted indignantly, clearly displeased about being moved around.

Sirius nodded, as he stepped off the bottom stair. “Everything.”

“So you’re taking him?” Petunia questioned him. “For good?”

“You’ll never have to see him again,” Lily drawled, hatefully.  “You’ll never have to see any of us again.”

“Good riddance. I never want to see that freakish boy-“

_WHACK!_ James punched Vernon across the jaw. The large man stumbled back into the cupboard underneath the stairs.

 "Come on Lily, were leaving." Lily looked at her sister for a moment, a tears welling up in her eyes, before she turned around and headed for the door. They walked away from the house, silently until they turned onto Wisteria walk.

James stopped and wrapped his arms around his crying wife. "It's alright, flower. It's all over."

"She's not the person she used to be, James. I remember when we were little," she sobbed.

"Don't fret over it. It's too late to fix her.”

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

Headaches were horrible, Harry decided, rubbing his aching head tenderly.

 He rubbed his eyes, and slowly sat up. He was used to headaches by now - but usually they came from his scar, not the actual side of his head. Readjusting the blankets, he searched the dim-lighted coffee table in front of him for his glasses. He unfolded them carefully, and shoved them onto his face.

Nothing moved in the room, but there were signs that someone was living in it. He was in a big four-poster bed that went all the way up to the tall ceiling. There was a cluttered desk opposite him. He stood on his knees and peered over the end of the bed, and was surprised to find his trunk sitting there closed.

Hedwig hooted in her cage from a chair near the door. _Where am I?_ he wondered. He wracked his brain, trying to remember how he had got to this strange place, but he couldn’t recall anything after he and Dudley were attacked.

_Dementors!_ He realized. He instantly went into danger mode. _Where is my wand?_ His eyes widened, and he turned back to search the end table for his errant wand. It wasn’t there.

Headache forgotten, he quickly climbed out of the bed and tip-toed towards his trunk. He shuffled through his things for his invisibility cloak, before throwing it on.

He headed for the door and snuck out.

Plaques of house elves lined the walls, their dead eyes staring through him. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled. Portraits hung from the walls in old wooden frames. Inside the frames, ghastly people in different colored robes slept on. He bit his lip, and started tip-toeing his way across the hallway towards the staircase.

There was a loud crash from right above him. He jumped and looked up at the ceiling. Nothing. Harry let out a breath. CRASH! It happened again. Then distantly he could hear whining. It reminded him of the ghoul in Ron's attic. Deciding that it wasn't going to come and attack him, he snuck on. But he could have sworn he'd heard someone curse. He stepped onto the staircase carefully and made his way down. His hand subconsciously trailed down the rail, leaving dust on the cloak. He reached the first landing and was about to go down the second set of stairs when a blood-red set of curtains caught his eye. Hoping he would find a window behind them, he walked towards it, his curiosity getting the better of him. Silently, he opened them a little to peek out.

A high pitched screaming erupted. The curtains flew back violently, revealing an evil looking woman in a portrait. Frightened, Harry stepped back quickly, but tripped over his cloak. He tried to catch his balance, but to no avail.

Harry fell down the staircase, whacking his already sore head on one of the steps as he went. Things went fuzzy. He tumbled hopelessly, in what felt like slow motion. From around the bin, people came running towards him. People he couldn't identify. Fear gnawed at him.

Finally, he whacked the side of the wall, and landing on his arm. The people ran up the staircase towards the screaming picture, urgently, not seeing him. Harry stood up quickly, holding his arm, and made a mad dash for the big black grimy door down the hall.

He started trying to unlock all the locks when he realized none of them would move. Horror rose in his chest and he jostled them again.

"Harry, what do you think you're doing?" Mr. Weasley said calmly after the screeching had stopped.

Suddenly realizing he was not in a house full of Death Eaters, Harry turned red. "Mr. Weasley!" he said embarrassed. "I have a good explanation."

"I hope you do," Sirius laughed.

“Sirius! You’re in England again!”

Sirius grinned. “Sure am."

“Is it- is it true? The letter to Dumbledore?” He started. Sirius would tell him the truth, surely.

“Come on. Let’s get you away from my mother.” Harry glanced up at him confused before followed him down the hall. Sirius led him to another door. _This place had too many doors_ , Harry thought. Opening it he ushered him into the kitchen. The group filed in, and the last one closed the door. An awkward silence hung in the air. Sirius walked over to the sink and filled a glass with water.

"Here, drink this. You look thirsty," Sirius said, handing him the glass. Harry smiled appreciatively, and started drinking the water deeply.

"What the hell's going on?" someone said loudly, running in through the doorway.

Harry's eyes widened, and inhaled the water he had been drinking. He spat out the water and started coughing. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the twins, Ginny, Hermione, Ron and a red haired woman with emerald green eyes followed behind the man. Sirius padded him on the back, while Harry coughed. When his coughing fit had ceased, Harry rubbed his throat and looked up at his father and mother, his eyes still wide.

"Well this didn't go as planned, did it," Sirius laughed uncomfortably. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm making like a broom and flying away," Sirius said before walking out of the kitchen.

Fred and George followed his example and started ushering people out of the room. "Come on you losers. This is awkward enough, without you lazy gits roaming around everywhere."

"Fred and George Weasley," Mrs. Weasley said dangerously, her hands on her hips. They smiled innocently.

"Molly, let's take this outside," Arthur said, wheeling his wife out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mwahahahaha! Another cliffhanger!  
>  The next chapter will be the one you've all been waiting for. I'll post it as soon as I get done rewriting/ editing it from the Fanfiction.net version (I started writing this thing in middle school, and I've just now graduated College - so you can imagine how terrible those early chapters were).


	7. The Family Who Lived

**Chapter 7:**

**The Family Who Lived**

Harry set the glass of water down awkwardly on the counter beside him. "It was true then, the letter?" he asked quietly. "You’re… _you_?" Lily nodded emotionally and tried to take a step forward. James just smiled.

Harry frowned and took a step back, trying to find the words he wanted to say. He opened and closed his mouth a few times. "So, you've just been hanging out in the forbidden forest for 14 years?" he snapped, suddenly. _Just how long have they been alive? Did they even die?_ He thought irritably. "Just one big happy camping trip?" Harry felt a lump growing in his throat. "While I'm stuck with Dudley? And Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia? And Voldemort and, and-"

"No, Harry," James said stepping closer to him. He moved slowly, trying not to spook the emotional teenager standing in front of him. "Never! I know it sounds hard to believe, Harry." Harry jerked when James placed his hands on his shoulders and shook him gently. "I know it does. It doesn't even make sense to anyone. We remember the attack on Godric's Hollow, and then we just woke up in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, out of nowhere."

"We would never abandon you, never on purpose Harry," Lily said softly, stepping beside James.

"Especially not to your horrid Aunt and Uncle," James added. "We never meant for that to happen. I promise you. We made plans, had everything in order that if something happened to us you would be taken care of."

"How long? How long have you been… back?" Harry croaked out awkwardly.

"Days, Harry." Lily blinked away tears. "We wanted to see you as soon as Dumbledore said you were safe. But Dumbledore- he wanted to break the news to you gently." She smoothed his hair back comfortingly.

"So much for that," Harry said dryly.

James smiled. "Yes, so much for that."

"Harry, we're so sorry. Everything that has happened is our fault. If we hadn't decided to change secret keepers, none of this would have happened," she gave him a sad smile and continued stroking his hair.

"And even if it did, you wouldn't have had to bear it alone. I promise you, you won't have to do this alone anymore," James promised him quietly and leaned in closer until their noses were almost touching. "We're here for good this time."

"For good?" Harry asked, looking into his father's almost shaped brown eyes.

James nodded. "For good."

"Just promise me something," Harry said, looking away.

"Anything," Lily said with a smile.

"Don't die again," he whispered, tears welling up in his eyes. Lily pulled him into a tight hug. Unable to hold it in anymore, Harry started crying. James rubbed circles on his back, and Lily started to rock him gently.

"I missed you so much," he whispered into the crook of his mother's neck.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

Ron was reading a copy of _Quidditch Weekly_ when he walked into the bedroom on the fourth floor. "Hey Harry!" he said excitedly.

"How long have they been here," Harry snapped at him, roughly. "Why didn't you and Hermione respond to my letters?"

Ron shrugged. "A few days. Almost a week. Hermione and I wanted to send you letters especially about your parents, but Dumbledore didn't want any owls to get intercepted by Voldemort's brood. Promise, mate. We know how bad it is with your Aunt and Uncle."

"You couldn't have sent me a letter anyway Ron? Just to say hey Harry, sorry we can't send you any letters 'cause Dumbledore said not to. Talk to you later?"

"We did try," Ron said defensively. "We tried to send pig out with a message but… Well, you know how much trouble he causes. Kreacher caught him and told mum."

Harry sighed and flopped onto the bed and looked around at the horrid green and black wallpaper. "Sorry, I guess it's not your fault. I just wish I could have been here earlier. Whose Kreacher? And where are we anyway?"

"Sirius's parent's house. It's his now, though. He offered it to Dumbledore as headquarters for the Order. Kreacher's the family house elf. I'd stay away from him though, he's pretty awful."

"The Order?"

"The Order of the Phoenix. They're like death-eaters, but the opposite. They've been keeping tabs on Voldemort and his supporters for weeks. They won't tell us anything though. Mom's forbid anyone from telling us anything. She's afraid we'll go off running after them. She even makes us stay upstairs when they have an order meeting."

"Well you can't blame her," Harry laughed. "We have a bad habit of getting into trouble."

Ron laughed. "I guess, huh? So how'd it go with your parents?"

"Weird," Harry admitted to his friend. "Great, but weird. I still can't wrap my head around it. It just doesn’t seem possible."

Ron smiled. "I bet. They're really cool, though. James has already been showing the twins pranks, when mom's not looking, of course."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

Harry rolled over with a yawn. He stretched his legs sleepily and reached out for his glasses. Beside him, Ron was snoring loudly. He had decided last night to sleep with his best mate, instead of the room he had woken up in. He seemed to have less nightmares when he wasn’t alone.

"Breakfast is ready, you two," Mrs. Weasley called to them from the doorway. Harry nodded and sat up.

Ron moaned and buried his head under his blanket. "Why so early, mum?" he complained. "It's not like we anything to do." She scowled, pulled out her wand, and flipped the mattress over. Ron fell onto the floor with a bang.

"Ouch!" He said sitting up. Mrs. Weasley ignored him and left the room. "Did you see that, Harry?" he asked. "She's absolutely mental!" A pillow slapped Ron upside the head. Harry laughed. Ron scowled and threw it at him. "Just wait, mate. Remember you've got a set of your own now!" Harry just smiled.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

They trudged down the staircase, still in their pajamas. Hermione met up with them on the third floor landing. "Harry!" she said giving him a big hug. "I'm so happy for you. You must be so excited! Your parents!"

Harry hugged her back. "Thanks Hermione." With that they continued down the staircase, chatting.

"James and Lily seem really nice," she said.

"Yeah, her and mom are getting along great. It's kind of scary, really," Ron told him.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the smell of sausages wafted from the open kitchen door. Mr. Weasley, Ginny, Remus, Fred and George, Sirius and James were sitting at the table laughing. "And then we bewitched all of the Slytherins’ robes red and gold," Sirius boasted to the twins that were sitting next to him. Fred and George nodded eagerly.

"I can't wait till we get back to school with this stuff, Fred!" George told his twins.

"Honestly you two," Mrs. Weasley said to Sirius and James, as she carried out a large plate of scrambled eggs. "Don't encourage them! They need to spend this year studying for their N.E.W.T's, not gallivanting around the castle bewitching toilet seats!"

"Not a bad idea!" the twins said together. Ginny laughed. Mrs. Weasley shook her head and returned to other end of the room where Lily was pulling a pan of biscuits out of one of the ovens.

"Pranks are fun, but I have to agree with your mother," Remus told the twins sagely, looking up from his newspaper. "Even we didn't get to do many pranks in 7th year." Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Good morning, Harry," James said when Harry plopped down into a chair besides him. He patted his son on the back. Ron sat next to the twins and Ginny saved a place for Hermione at the end of the table. Remus quickly folded the newspaper and stashed it out of sight.

"Good morning. Nice hair," he said, gesturing to his father's wild hair.

"You’re one to talk," James laughed and ruffled Harry's similarly wild hair.

"Leave him be James. It's not his fault he inherited your hair," Lily playfully scolded her husband as she set down a plate of bacon and sausages. "Good morning," she told Harry and gave him a light hug.

"Morning… mum?" Harry said awkwardly. Lily smiled and James patted him on the back again.

"Dig in," James said, gesturing at the heaping pile of sausages Lily had set down. "You're so skinny looking, if it gets any worse you might disappear!"

"If you say so," Sirius said happily, levitating a bunch of sausages towards his plate. He flicked his wand and one of the sausages hit George's forehead and bounced onto the table. Everyone at the table started laughing. "Ooops," He said innocently. "Sorry Fred."

"I'm George," George said, still laughing.

"Of course you are," Sirius shrugged. He pointed at the sausage resting by George's elbow. "Do you plan on eating that?"

 _Ping!_ Everyone looked up trying to find the source of the noise. Mrs. Weasley sighed. "That would be Errol," she sighed, walking over to the kitchen window. She opened the window and picked up the ancient owl. Hedwig flew in as well, followed by a tawny owl.

"Looks like Hogwarts letters!" Mr. Weasley said happily, untying a stack of letters from the owl. He started passing them out to everyone.

Hedwig landed on Harry's shoulder and nipped his ear affectionately. "Hey, Hedwig," Harry said and scratched her neck. She stuck out her leg. Harry untied the copy of _The Daily Prophet_ and set it down. She hooted and hopped onto the back of the chair. Mr. Weasley passed him his Hogwarts letter. Harry opened it and read the list of supplies. His mother sat on the other side of him and started filling her plate.

A few seats away, something fell out of Ron's letter with a clank. Hermione picked it up. "It's a prefect's badge!" she said incredulously.

"Bloody hell," Ron said.

_"Ickle Ronnie?"_

_"A Prefect?"_

_"Dumbledore must be,"_

_"Going batty!"_

_"Weatherby would be so,"_

_"Proud!"_ the twins intoned simultaneously.

Mr. Weasley paled at the mention of Percy. Fortunately Mrs. Weasley didn't hear. She pulled Ron into a big hug. "I'm so proud of you!"

"I got one too!" Hermione said excitedly, pulling out her badge.

"Bloody hell," Ron moaned again. Hermione shot hit a dirty look, and Harry laughed.

"There must be a Mistake!" Fred said.

"Yeah Fred," George agreed. "We thought Harry had it in the bag. You know, with winning the Tri-Wizard Tournament and everything."

_"But I guess that mess with the Troll,"_

_"And the acromantulas,"_

_"And the whomping willow,"_

_"And the parseltounge thing…"_

James gagged on his coffee. Harry blushed embarrassed. He hadn't planned on telling them that part.

"Don't forget being heir of Slytherin, George." _Or that either_ , Harry thought.

"Oh yes, and that business with knocking Snape unconscious two terms ago!" George added. Lily paled.

"Yeah, you've been in too much trouble, mate," Fred told him and shrugged. "At least one of you has their head on straight!" He bent over the table and gave him a high-five.

"You leave your brother alone, you two!" Mrs. Weasley snapped.

Harry unrolled his paper. Next to him, James stiffened. "What is it?" Harry asked, confused.

James rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat. "Have you been reading those very thoroughly?" he asked, pointing at Harry's copy of _The Daily Prophet_ _with his fork_. Silence fell over the table.

Harry shrugged. "Not cover to cover, no. I've just been looking at the front page for any news about Voldemort. Why?"

"Well…" James said slowly.

"It's positively dreadful," Hermione burst out, breaking the awkward silence. "Really."

"What's dreadful?"

Remus sighed. "Fudge doesn't believe that Voldemort is back," he put forth, delicately.

"WHAT?" Harry yelled, slamming the newspaper on the table. Hedwig squaked and bit him from her perch on the chair. He yelped, and brought his hand up to his ear. "But I saw him! He came back! He-he killed Cedric!"

"We know Harry," Lily said calmly putting her hand on his shoulder. "Everybody here believes you."

"But from Fudge's point of view, the words of a fourteen year old are not reliable enough," Remus told him.

"What about Dumbledore? Surely Fudge believes him?"

"Fudge thinks Dumbledore is using the story that Voldemort's back to scare the wizarding community into appointing him as minister of magic."

"That's-"

"We know," Mr. Weasley sighed. "But Fudge is sure of it."

"What does this have to do with _The Daily Prophet?"_ Harry demanded. The room fell into silence

"They tend to mention you a few times a week…" Sirius said, breaking the silence. "Not big articles, but small jokes here and there…" Harry scowled and opened up the paper and started searching through it.

"Harry," James said, trying to take the paper away from him. "Don't."

"The boy who lied?" Harry said dumbfounded. He threw the paper down and ran out of the room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used a few excerpts from the original book towards the end. It was just a few sentences that I couldn't seem to go without. After all these years, I can't exactly remember which, but note that if it sounds eerily familiar, then it's J.K. Rowling and not me.


	8. Cedric Diggory

**Chapter 8:**

**Cedric Diggory**

Crookshanks rubbed against his leg. Harry scratched his neck absently. He could hear them calling for him, but they were still a few levels below. He scooted closer to back of the sofa, so he wouldn't be visible from the doorway. He wiped his nose with his sleeve. _The boy who lied_ , he thought bitterly. They thought he lied about Voldemort. Why would he want Voldemort back? Him of all people? His parents might be alive now, but they'd been gone for a long time. Who do they think killed Cedric? He let out a soft sob, before clamping his mouth shut. He didn't want anyone to find him, not now. He didn't want their pity. He knew they pitied him. The Weasley’s took him as their own, because they felt bad for him.

The voices were getting closer. _Pull yourself together,_ he chastised himself. He shoo’d Crookshanks away. The ginger cat hissed at him before stalking out of the room. He didn't know why Hermione loved that cat so much.

The floor creaked as someone entered the room. Harry gulped and peeked around the dusty, green velvet couch. A house elf dressed in a filthy pillowcase limped into the room. _So this is Kreacher,_ he thought, thinking of the conversation with Ron last night. Kreacher gave him a dirty look. "Mud-bloods and muggle lovers in the house of my poor Mistress. And nasty Half-blood filth, too."

"Kreacher! That's enough," James snapped at the old elf. "Get out!" Harry stiffened.

Kreacher scowled and started walking slowly for the door way muttering, "Marrying a mudblood and destroying his noble bloodline." James rolled his eyes and waited for the house elf to leave.

"Ignore Kreacher, Harry," James said from the doorway. He started poking around the room. "I know you're in here." He found Harry curled up behind the sofa.

James walked around and sat down next to his son. Harry hung his head, not wanting to make eye contact. They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes. "I'm not the boy who lied," Harry finally said. "I know what happened that night."

"We know. No one here doubts you."

"Why can't they just leave me alone? I never wanted any of this attention. Wherever I go its Harry Potter this, boy who lived that. They all look at my scar and point. Everyone thinks I did something that night to stop him. But I didn't. It was mum, not me."

James put his arm on Harry's shoulders. "Do you remember anything from that night?" he asked tentatively.

Harry sighed and nodded. "I remember mum." James pulled him closer. "When I was little Uncle Vernon said you and mum had died in a car crash. But I used to have dreams about a green flash of light. That's all I remembered until 3rd year when Dementors came onto the train while we were on our way to Hogwarts. I heard a woman screaming and I passed out. Then at one of the Quidditch matches the Dementors came again and I fell off my broom and passed out. I had a dream of what I think happened but I don't know for sure."

"I wish you didn't have to see that. Or dream it," James sighed.

"Me too."

"I have a question for you. Feel free not to answer it," James told him.

"What?"

"What happened? Who is Cedric?"

Harry glanced down at his feet. "Last year was the Tri-wizard tournament. Cedric was chosen as a competitor for Hogwarts, but then the cup spit my name up too. I didn't put it in the cup, but no one believed me. Not even Ron. Hagrid showed me the dragons before the first challenge, I told Cedric, and he told me about the second challenge. At the last challenge, I rescued him from some bewitched branches and we decided to grab the cup together, so we would both be the champions. But the- the cup… It was a portkey…"

"Where did it take you," James urged him on.

"A graveyard," Harry whispered. "I don't know where. I told him we needed to leave, that something felt wrong. But he didn't listen. We weren't there for more than a few minutes before my scar went crazy, and Pettigrew showed up out of nowhere." James's grip on Harry's arm clenched tightly at the mention of Peter. "He-he killed Cedric." Harry started to sob again. "There was nothing I could do. I tried to pull out my wand but he tied me up against a gravestone… He brought him back! Pettigrew brought Voldemort back!" He yelled. James pulled him into a tight hug. Harry sobbed against his chest. He could hear the sound of rumbling footsteps coming closer, as he rocked the boy back and forth. Harry slammed his fist onto the wood floor angrily as he cried, breaking the skin of his knuckles. He went to do it again, but James caught his hand and pulled it to his side.

Mr. Weasley, Sirius, Ron, Lily, Fred and Hermione burst into the room loudly, panting. "Is everything alright?" Mr. Weasley asked urgently.

"It's alright," James said from behind the couch. "We're fine. Just talking is all. We'll be down in a while." Mr. Weasley ushered Fred, Hermione and Ron out of the room. Sirius lingered next to Lily, waiting to see what she was going to do. She nodded at him to leave, and he quietly closed the door behind him. Lily could see two pairs of legs sticking out from behind the couch and walked around until they were in full view. Harry's sobs started to turn to sniffles.

"What happened?" she demanded of her husband, bending down to rub Harry's back.

"Nothing dear," James said quietly. "We were just talking. It's all right now." Lily saw his bleeding knuckles, and pulled out her wand. She muttered something under her breath and the cut started knitting itself closed.

"Thanks," Harry whispered hoarsely, sitting up.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him sweetly.

"A little better."

"Good."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"Yuck!" Ron moaned looking at the drawing room around him. "This place is a mess."

Hermione shrugged. "At least it's not as bad as the kitchen."

Remus handed them two pairs of dragon hide gloves and a trash bin. "If it looks dangerous," he said. "Don't touch it. Get one of the adults."

"Why can't Sirius just make Kreacher do this?" Ron whined as he picked up an old pixie nest. "That's his job."

"Just because he's a house elf, doesn't mean you can't pitch in and help," Hermione said irritably. "Besides, he's had 10 years to clean this place up since Sirius's mother died. Why would he start now? Maybe if Sirius would treat him a little nicer than he would-"

"Treat him nicer?" Ron snorted, "He should be treating us nicer. Do you hear what he is always saying about people?"

"Of course I know what he's saying," she sighed and threw away a stack of _Pureblood Pride_ magazines. "But that doesn't excuse Sirius's behavior towards him. An eye for eye-"

"Leads to a jar of pickled eyeballs?" Fred asked, shaking one in front her.

"I hear they're delicious!" George added.

"Ewww!" She screeched and held out the bin. "Throw that away." The twins laughed and tossed it in.

"Gits!" Ginny called out to them from across the room.

Hermione huffed and she and Ron wandered deeper into the room.

"I wander how Harry's feeling. He seemed pretty upset this morning."

"I know. It's downright cruel what they're doing," Hermione said.

"At least you've got Rita Skeeter under control."

"True it would be a whole lot worse if she was writing it."

"More cleaning, less talking!" Mrs. Weasley warned. "Don't make me split you two up."

"Sorry Mrs. Weasley," Hermione called back. "C'mon, let's just get this done with."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

**LATER THAT DAY**

"So," James said sitting down at the table with 3 cups of tea. "From what we've heard you've been getting into lots of trouble the past few years, if Fred and George told it right."

Harry blushed. "I never go looking for it. It just finds me," he admitted.

"In true Potter fashion," he smiled, handing Harry one of the cups of tea.

Lily rolled her eyes. "All the trouble you've ever been into James, was your own fault," she said flatly.

"Dumbledore gave us an overview of all the things we've missed so far, you know, mountain trolls and boring stuff like that, and the twins added a little bit more" James continued, ignoring his wife's comment. "But I'm afraid they all left out the context. I imagine you running around hunting trolls, or something."

"The mountain troll was nothing compared to the Acromantulas, or Hagrid's three headed dog." Harry said, smiling.

"Acromantulas?" Lily sighed. "I was hoping they were exaggerating…"

"Do you want to hear the rest of it?" Harry asked his mother. "You won't like it."

"I'm sure I won't," she said, putting a cube of sugar into her cup. "But If I leave it to my imagination, you'll have been fighting hordes of death eaters all by yourself."

"Well… not hoards… And I wasn't alone, I had Ron and Hermione with me." Lily's face turned white.

James had a look that fell between ecstatic and horrified on his face. "Maybe you should start out at the beginning."

"Well I met Ron on the train first year," Harry began, purposefully leaving out his life before then. His life with the Dursley's wasn't something he liked talking about. The less his parents knew about it the better. "He was trying to show me some spell, when Hermione came in and started asking if we'd seen Neville's toad. When she saw Ron trying to cast the spell, she was pretty snobby. We didn't become with friends with her until later on in the year."

James leaned in closer. "And Quidditch?" Lily rolled her eyes.

"Well we were having our first flying lesson, and Neville lost control of his broom and broke his wrist, so Madam Hooch took him to the infirmary. Draco Malfoy found his remembral and was making fun of him. I told him to give it back, and he threw it. I managed to catch it on my broom, right in front of McGonagall's office. I thought I would be expelled, but she put me on the team."

"On Halloween, Professor Quirrell let a mountain troll into the castle, to distract the other teachers. They sent us back to our dormitories during the feast, but Hermione had been crying all day in the girls bathroom. So Ron and I snuck off looking for her, and we accidentally locked the troll in the girl's bathroom. So we went back in and Ron knocked it out with his club. When the Professors caught up with us, she took the blame. We've been friends ever since," he added. "Quirrell turned out to be possessed by Voldemort, who was wanting the sorcerer's stone. Dumbledore was gone when he went to steal it. So we went down to stop him. We had to go through these obstacles that all the professors had put up. Ron got knocked unconscious during the Human wizard chess match, and Hermione figured out Snape's riddle but there wasn't enough potion for both of us to go on. So she went back to get help. Quirrell and Voldemort were in the next room. Professor Dumbledore had hidden the stone inside of the Mirror of Erised so only someone who wanted to keep it safe could get it. The mirror gave it to me, and Quirrell attacked me for it. He couldn't touch me though, because of your magic," he said looking at his mother. Lily nodded knowingly. "I killed Quirrell but Voldemort got away.

"Second year, Dobby, the Malfoy's house elf, came to me at the Dursley's and told me not to go back to Hogwarts. I told him he couldn't stop me and he used magic to drop Aunt Petunia's cake on one of their guests. Uncle Vernon got really angry. So they put bars on my window, and locked away my school supplies," He said vaguely. "But Fred, George and Ron showed up in Mr. Weasley's flying car and we escaped to the burrow. When we tried to get onto platform 9 ¾ a few weeks later, the barrier wouldn't let us through. We missed the train, so we decided to drive the flying car and meet up with the train. We crashed into the whomping willow though when we got there. Snape had a field day and wanted us expelled, But Professor McGonagall only took a bunch off of points off and gave us both detention. I heard voices on my way back to the common room one night and followed it around the castle. Filch's cat was petrified and someone wrote on the wall "The chamber of secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware." James paled. "During one of the Quidditch matches, I got attacked by a bewitched bludger that knocked me off my broom and broke my arm. The new DADA teacher, Lockhart was an idiot and accidentally got rid of all the bones in my arm."

"All the bones in your arm," Lily said worriedly. "Your teacher made that big of a mistake?"

"Well it turns out, he'd lied about all the accomplishments, and he was no good at magic," Harry told her. "The only spell he could do right was obliviate."

"How did they re-grow your arm?" she asked, poking his arm gently.

"Skele-grow," James answered for him. "Nasty potion. Taste's disgusting, hurts even worse."

Harry nodded. "While I was in the infirmary, Dobby showed up and told me that he had closed the wall to platform 9 ¾ and bewitched the bludger so that I would leave Hogwarts. After Dobby left, a bunch of professors came in with Colin Creevy and said that the Chamber had been opened. Lockhart and Snape set up a dueling club a while later, to teach us to protect ourselves. They put me and Malfoy up against one another and-"

"FRED GIDEON, AND GEORGE FABIAN WEASLEY!" Mrs. Weasley screeched. James laughed and walked over to the kitchen door, Lily and Harry following behind him. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

James laughed. "What are they up to now?"


	9. Severus Snape

**Chapter 9**

**Severus Snape**

"FRED GIDEON, AND GEORGE FABIAN WEASLEY!" Mrs. Weasley screeched. James laughed and walked over to the kitchen door, Lily and Harry following behind him. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

James laughed. "What are they up to now?" They shuffled out of the kitchen and followed Mrs. Weasley's voice into the drawing room.

Fred and George were standing by the door with moldy tablecloth wrapped cage hidden behind their backs. Mrs. Weasley snapped at them with her hand on her hips. "What's in that cage, you two?" She demanded putting her hands on her hips.

"Nothing mum!" They said together innocently.

"You show me what’s in that cage right now boys!"

The twins gave each other a look and shrugged. Fred took off the blanket to reveal a cage full of Cornish pixies.

"And what, pray tell, were you planning to do with those?" She huffed.

"We were going to give them to Harry for his birthday," Fred lied.

"Thanks for ruining it mum," George added dryly. "Now what are we supposed to give him?"

"See?" Fred gestured at where Harry was standing awkwardly. "Look how upset he is. It's not every day you turn 15, and you're going to ruin it for him."

Hermione snorted. "Why would Harry want a horde of Cornish pixies?"

"It's a pike of pixies, not a horde," Fred corrected. "And why wouldn't he?"

Mrs. Weasley grabbed the cage out of Fred's hand and scowled. "The next time I see you try and smuggle something out of this house, I'm going to lock you up without your wands until the beginning of term!"

"Now get back to work!"

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"What are they doing down there?" Harry asked, playing a game of wizard chess with Ron.

"Order meeting," Hermione said, not looking up from her book.

"I wish they'd tell us what's going on," Ron complained. "Do you think they'd catch us if we went down there and listened in for a few minutes?"

"Probably," Harry sighed. "I wish they'd tell us what is going on. We've fought Voldemort just as much as they have, if not more."

Ron glanced over at where Hermione was lounging on the bed with her book. "Why are you reading? You have the rest of the year to bury yourself in books," he told her, moving his queen.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm looking over what we're studying this year. You should do the same, Ron. We have our O.W.L.'s this year. You too, Harry. Maybe if you studied your potions book now, Snape wouldn't pick on you so much."

"I don't see how that would help, Hermione," Harry said. "You know everything and he still picks on you."

"But not as much as you two. If you have any plans of being Auror’s, then you should get your books out now. Snape only takes Exceeds Expectations students."

The boys purposefully ignored her and returned back to their game. "What are you doing?" Harry's rook snapped at him. "You can't put me there. Can't you see his knight?"

"Just do it."

"Idiot," the rook muttered before stepping over to his place.

"Knight to D-7," Ron said. His knight overtook Harry's rook. The rest of Harry's pieces groaned. "Really mate, you need your own set. Dad's doesn't like you either, and they're usually pretty nice to strangers."

Fred and George apparated with a _pop_! into the center of the bedroom.

"Must you apparate everywhere?" Hermione said.

"Don't be jealous, Hermione," George said, adjusting his trousers uncomfortably.

"What's in your pocket?" Ron narrowed his eyes at his older brother, suspiciously.

"One of the pixies," he said nonchalantly. "We figured mum wouldn't miss just one."

"I appreciate the thought, but please don't give it to me for my birthday…" Harry said.

"No worries mate!" Fred chortled. "That was just a cover. We needed pixie venom for our new line of products. We wanted a lot, but one will have to do for now."

"We came over to see if you wanted to hear the meeting," George said.

"We’ve invented a new product," Fred told them excitingly pulling something out of his pocket. "Extendable ears. All you have to do is put it near the source of the noise and the sound rides up this wire and plays like a recording!"

"Wicked!" Ron said. "Let's go!" Harry nodded.

"Let's go?" Hermione asked incredulously. "Do you have any idea how much trouble we could be in if we get caught?"

"Easy, Hermione," Harry said. "All we have to do is not get caught. Let me get my cloak just in case."

"Yes!" The twins said together.

"We'll meet you on the second landing," George said.

"We have to drop off our little friend here," Fred added. With that, the twins apparated out of the room.

Harry opened his trunk and dug through it for his invisibility cloak and tucked it in the back of his pants. Hermione closed her book with a snap. "If we get caught, I'm blaming you."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

Fred tossed an extendable ear over the balcony and towards the kitchen door. He put his ear in the speaker and slowly turned up the volume. Everyone leaned in close trying to hear the conversation…

_"If he gets a hold of it, we're in a lot of trouble," Sirius said._

_"How do we keep it away from them?" Tonks asked. "We can't take it somewhere safe where he can't find it."_

_"Can Lily and James pick it up?" Sirius asked._

_"No they can't," Dumbledore said. "Only the people the prophecy concerns can pick it up. All we can do is inconspicuously guard it and hope it is enough."_

_"And if he does get it? What do we do then?" James asked._

_Skreeeeech!_

“Crookshanks!” Hermione hissed from the landing. The ginger cat licked its lips and swatted at the extendable ear again. “Bad Crookshanks! Come here!”

“I hate that bloody cat,” Ron grumbled under his breath.

She shot him a dirty look. “Oh, crookshanks…” she whispered in a sing song voice. “I’ll open that new bag of treats if you-“

Fred yanked off of Ron’s trainers. “Hey!” Ron snapped.

Harry and George shushed him as Fred transformed the shoe into a mouse and sent it running past the cat. Crookshanks shot after it with, extendable ear forgotten.

George readjusted the wire. “We’re back in business.” Everyone scrambled closer to the wire again.

_"-had about all the protection he can stand…. It's driving him crazy. And that's just the ones he knows about."_

_"I'd rather have him alive and frustrated, then in danger," James shot back._

_"The only other option," Mr. Weasley said, "Is to tell him what is going on and have him take it to a safe place."_

_"No," Lily said. "He has so much on his plate as it is. He's too young."_

_"I agree," James said. "We should wait till he's-"_

"What do you think you are doing?" Somebody drawled. The five teens jumped up, surprised. Fred let go of the string in surprise and it fell with a clank onto the floor a few stories before. Severus Snape glared up at them from the ground floor, wrapped in his signature black cloak.

"Playing with Crookshanks, professor," Harry lied smoothly. “Only, she ran off. Have you seen her?”

"I doubt that," Snape said, dryly. "Potter. Always the center of trouble, I see. Basking in your glory again?"

"I do not bask," Harry snapped at him from the landing.

Snape scowled up at all of them and snapped his fingers at the floor. "Kitchen," he demanded. "All of you. Now." Begrudgingly, the group of teenagers came downstairs.

"I told you this would happen!" Hermione whispered at Ron, harshly.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Snape snagged Harry by the ear and snapped at the extendable ear lying on the floor with his free hand. "Pick it up," he said and pushed them forward.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"I managed to follow Malfoy to-" Everyone looked up from the kitchen table. Snape pushed the kids all the way, still dragging Harry by the ear.

"I believe these belong to you?" Snape drawled at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"What is going on?" Mrs. Weasley asked dangerously, standing up and putting her hands on her hips.

"I found them on the stairs spying."

"We weren't spying!" Hermione said. "Spying implies we planned on spreading information. We just wanted to know what was going on!"

"Did anyone ask for your opinion, Granger? I'm led to the idea that you _are_ an insufferable know it all."

"Leave her alone," Harry snapped. "And let me go!" Harry tried to struggle out of his grasp, but Snape held on tighter.

James stood up from farther down the table. "Let him go, Snape," he warned.

Snape lifted an eyebrow and looked down at Harry. "Polyjuice potion? I never knew you had it in you, Potter. It must have Granger," he corrected. "You're about as good at potions as you are about minding your own business."

"Maybe you should learn to mind your own," Harry snapped back.

"Enough!" Lily said from her chair. "All of you."

Snape loosened his grip on the boys and stared at Lily dumbfounded. "So it’s true then?" he demanded of Dumbledore.

"I verified their identities myself," Dumbledore reassured.

"What did you hear?" Mrs. Weasley asked the group, changing the subject. They collectively shrugged and looked in different directions. "Answer me now!" They avoided eye contact. She locked eyes on Ron. "Ronald Billius, answer me! _And where is your shoe_?"

Ron blushed, and hid his socked foot behind his other leg. "Something about a something and a someone. It didn't make any sense, promise."

"Good job, ickle Ron the Prefect," Fred muttered under his breath. Ron shot him a death glare.

"I am extremely disappointed in all of you," she scolded. "Hand me your wands, you two," she said to Fred and George. The twins gave it to her with a smile. Harry raised an eyebrow at them. "As for you two," she said to Ron and Hermione. "This is your last warning. One more offense and you can kiss Diagon Alley goodbye."

"We'll talk about punishments later," Mr. Weasley told his wife. "We are on a schedule."

"If I see one toe anywhere below the third floor, you will reckon the day you were born," she scolded. "All of you."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"I can't believe you five," Mrs. Weasley scolded them at dinner once again. "Eavesdropping. Especially you Hermione." Hermione hung her head, shamefully.

“Yeah.” Ginny said, irritably. “Why didn’t you invite me?”

Fred leaned over. “We figured you were busy mooning over your crush, or writing in a journal or something. Girly stuff.”

She scowled at him. “Shove it up your-“

“Ginerva!” Mrs. Weasley snapped.

"Maybe we need to get them out of this house," Mr. Weasley said in appeasement. "I'm sure being cooped up all day isn't helping their behavior."

"I agree," Sirius said. "We all need to get out of here, before we go insane."

"Is it safe?" Lily asked cautiously. "For them to be out in public like that?"

"Most likely," Mr. Weasley said. "The death eaters are in a comfortable position. No one believes that Voldemort is back. If they were to attack Harry, the ruse would be ruined."

"Good point, but we should still talk to Dumbledore about it. Especially seeing as you two are still dead, and you Sirius are still and escaped convict," Remus pointed at them.

Harry sighed. "Even if I can't go, everyone else should." He poked at his dinner dejectedly.

"If you can't go to Diagon Alley then maybe we can go out and do something in muggle London. Like a movie or something," Lily said. "Even if it's just to get you outside."

Harry brightened a little. "Thanks. That would be nice."

"What is the function of a _movie_?" Mr. Weasley said excitedly, leaning across the table to ask the red haired muggleborn witch.

"I suppose it’s a type of photography," Lily explained to him. “Moving images projected on a screen to tell a story.”

"Ingenious!" He clapped his hands together happily. "Does it use eliktrikity?"

"Yes," she said. "They use electricity."

"Ah, that's the word!" he said. "I do love everything about muggles, they're so fascinating. I have a shack at the burrow, with all sorts of doo-dads. But Molly wouldn't let me bring anything with me here." Lily laughed. "After the war is over you’re going to have to take me to one of these _moovies_."

"Of course, Arthur."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"I feel so bad for him," Lily sighed as she brushed her hair by the mirror. "Not even being able to go to Diagon Alley for school stuff."

James walked out of the bathroom, drying his hair. "I know. He's going to be disappointed."

"Sometimes, I imagine us just leaving, to Australia or something. Somewhere he can have a normal childhood, away from Voldemort," she said sadly.

"I know how you feel dear, but it's too late.” James sat down heavily on the end of the bed, and watched her. “I don't think he ever had a childhood,” he sighed. “It's not fair when you compare our Hogwarts years to his."

"I still can't believe Petunia. Even after everything she did to me, I thought she would treat Harry decently. But look at him…"

"I know, Lils."

"He's so skinny," she continued. "And look at his clothes, how old and baggy they are. They put bars on his windows and fed him through a flap door! He doesn't even say anything about it to anyone.”

"It will be alright," James told her. "Dumbledore gave us the okay to go out in the muggle world for the day. It's no Diagon Alley, but it's something."

"I guess."


	10. Diagon Alley

**Chapter 10**

**Diagon Alley**

"Are you ready to go?" Lily asked Harry from the kitchen, eating a biscuit. Harry stuffed his invisibility cloak in his pants. He was starting to carry it around everywhere, just in case he needed to make a quick escape.

"Yes," Harry told her walking in. "Where is Dad?"

"He went to Gringotts to exchange some galleons for pounds," she said looking at her watch. "I don't know what is taking him so long, it shouldn't take more than a few minutes."

"Gringotts?" Harry sat down next to her, confused and took a sip of water. "How'd he get in to the vault? I have the key."

"You have the key to _your_ vault," she clarified. Harry spat the water out. "Mine?" he coughed.

She gave him a small smile. "You come from a very old Wizarding family, Harry. I think there are three vaults in Gringotts," she told him. "And there is still more at the Manor."

"Potter Manor!" James said as he sauntered into the kitchen with a package under his arm. "The ancestral Potter home. You'd like it, Harry. Rolling hills, nestled right on the beach," he boasted. "It's where I grew up, you know."

"There you are," Lily said. "What took you so long?"

"I got distracted," he said vaguely. She rolled her eyes.

"What's that?" Harry asked, pointing at the package under his arm.

James smiled. "Nothing in particular," he said. "Are we ready to leave?"

"We've only been waiting on you," Lily said standing up and brushing the crumbs off her jeans.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

Harry hit the ground with a thud and groaned. "That was apparition wasn't it?" he said as James helped him stand up.

"First time?" James asked. Harry nodded slowly, trying to regain his balance. "You did good for your first time. Your mother threw up all over herself, the first time she did it. In front of all the other seventh years."

"I did not," she said indignantly. “Don’t listen to your father, Harry.”  She looked at the busy street from the alley they’d apparated into. "Wow! London has changed since I last saw it."

"Really?" James said. "It seems just as boring and queer as the last time you dragged me here." Harry laughed.

Lily slapped her husband's arm. "Just because there's no one flying around on a broomstick, does not make it boring, James. Now come on," she said ushering them onto the street.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked as they walked through a crowd of muggles chit-chatting about the weather.

"A clothing store," she said simply, dodging a man in a suit with his head buried in a paper. "We all need some clothing."

James made a face. "Shopping, Lily?" he whined. "C'mon, our clothes are fine- well mine are fine at least," he said poking at Harry's loose fitting shirt.

Harry snorted. "I'm not the one who looks like I just walked out of a 1970's museum."

James looked down at his brown corduroy pants. "Touche."

"I think this will do," she said a few minutes later, stopping in front of an acceptable store.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"You aren't planning on eating all of that are you?" Hermione asked disgustingly.

"No," Ron said defensively, holding an armful of sweets. "There's some in here for Harry and for his birthday."

"I don't understand wizarding candy," she said as they walked over to the front counter. "I like my food to stay still, and not make steam blow out my ears, thank you."

"Where's your sense of adventure, Hermione?" Ron mocked as the old man behind the counter rang him up.

"I'm saving it for when term starts," she said dryly. "We've never yet had a normal year at Hogwarts, and I don't expect our luck to change any time soon."

Ron stuffed his change into his pocket and they walked out. "It's your fault you know."

"My fault?"

"Yah. If you hadn't gotten into it with that troll, Harry and I never would have gotten a taste of trouble," he explained.

"You locked it in with me! It's not my fault," she laughed. "Where should we go next?"

"We should go to Quality Quidditch Supplies," Ron said excitedly. "Mom and Dad said they'd buy me a new broom for making Prefect! I want to go pick it out." Hermione nodded. Ron half dragged her down the busy alley towards the bright red building. "I know a Nimbus or a Firebolt would be too much, but I might be able to get a nice Cleansweep." They pushed themselves through the throng of drooling children and made their way towards the broom section.

"I think I'm going to get a keeper broom," he told her as he looked through racks. "It's my favorite position." He picked up a Cleansweep 7 and inspected it.

"There's different brooms for different positions?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Yah. If you ever look at Harry's Firebolt, it's longer than the brooms for other positions," he told her putting the broom back and moving on. "Seeker brooms are made for speed." He picked up another broom and held it up, testing the weight and height of it.

"Can you even afford that?" Draco Malfoy drawled, leaning against a shelf of Quidditch balls.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Ron spat, his face turning red.

"I came by to pick up the new self-gripping boots," he bragged. "Much too fancy for the likes of you, of course. They don't even come out until next month, but my father promised me anything I wanted for getting chosen as Prefect." Malfoy used his sleeve to polish the green and silver badge attached to his shirt.

"Oh please," Hermione said rolling her eyes. "You probably only got it because you dad paid someone off."

"The nice thing about money," Draco boasted. "Not that you two would now." Ron blushed again and looked away.

Hermione gave a laugh, poked Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy. "Malfoy. Always riding our coat tails to fame!" Ron gave a feeble smile.

Draco scowled. "I beg your pardon, Mudblood?" he spat.

Ron scowled and stood up straight. "Don't call her that!"

"Oh, have your ears stopped working or are you just stupid?" Hermione said back, ignoring Ron's defense. "You see, Ron and I also made prefect."

Malfoy frowned. "Who would make you prefect?" he asked disgustedly at Ron. "You aren't, how do they say it, the sharpest spine on a dragons back.”

Ron looked ready to explode. "It’s alright Ron, be nice to him," she said to Ron and gave Malfoy a pitying look ."It must be hard for him, always being second best… Especially to a mud-blood, and half-blood and a blood traitor." Ron's jaw dropped in surprise at his friends insult.

Draco pulled out his wand angrily. "Why you little- Bato Bagioni-" Ron snapped his mouth closed and punched the other boy squarely in the jaw, sending Malfoy sprawling to the ground in a heap of black robes.

The children outside laughed hysterically and pointed at Malfoy from the other side of the window. Several of them started chanting _Fight! Fight! Fight!_ Red as a lobster, Malfoy scrambled up. With a burst of confidence Ron taunted him. "Tell me Malfoy, can you _afford_ another one?" He said shaking his fist.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"So, Harry," James said casually as they walked down the aisle of the men's department. "Have you thought of what you want for your birthday?"

The comment caught Harry off guard. "Ughhh- I never thought about it before," he said awkwardly, looking through a rack of shirts.

"You've never thought about what you wanted for your birthday?" James asked confused. "Well what did your Aunt and Uncle usually give you?"

"I've never gotten a birthday present, not from them at least," Harry shrugged nonchalantly, searching a clothing rack.

"Not one?" James asked, face paling. "Ever?"

"I got a pair of Dudley's old socks, my first year at Hogwarts. But that was for Christmas…"

"Old socks?" James said astonished. "That's all they've ever given you? Used socks for Christmas, and nothing for your birthday."

Harry shook his head. "My first birthday gift was a cake Hagrid made me when he tracked us down to give me my Hogwarts letter when I turned eleven." Harry saw the hurt look on his father's face. "It's alright," he said quickly, trying to cheer his father up. "Really. I don't like getting gifts, it's awkward. And I already have everything I need."

"Everyone likes getting gifts, Harry," James said sadly, pulling a blue sweater off the rack. "We know they treated you horribly. You don't have to hide it. We picked up your trunk from Little Whinging, and had a nice discussion with them.” Harry cringed and looked away.  "-it's nothing to be ashamed of Harry. They were right bloody horrible to you," James said angrily, before taking a deep calming breath. "You can talk to us. Your mom and I. I know you're still getting used to what it's like to have parents, but were here for you. No matter what."

"It's never been something I talked about," Harry admitted. "And I know it's hard on you guys to hear about it."

"It might be hard for us to hear, but we want to hear it, so we can understand what you're going through."

"I guess…" Harry said finally. "Just give me some time."

James gave him a supporting smile and clapped him on the back. "All the time you need. No pressure. But beware, I have every intention of making up for lost birthdays, and Christmas's, and even lost National Herbology days. So get used to it."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"Harry!" Ginny said excitedly as soon as they walked into the kitchen. "You missed it!"

"Missed what?" Harry asked.

"Ron punched Malfoy at Quality Quidditch Supplies," Ginny said happily.

"Yah," George said. "I heard from a second year that he ran away, with his tail between his legs."

"I always knew he was related to us!" Fred said happily.

Ron blushed a few shades darker than his hair. "It was mostly Hermione," he admitted as they sat down at the table. "You wouldn't believe what she said to him!"

"Wait," Harry said. "Start from the beginning."

"Well," Ron said. "We were looking at brooms, when Malfoy came and was like 'can you even afford that Weasley?'"

"That's horrible!" Lily said setting her bags down. "He sounds just as bad as his father did, when we were in school."

"Oh it gets better," Sirius laughed.

"Then he started bragging about his new prefect badge," Ron continued. "Hermione said- what did you say Hermione?"

"I told Malfoy that he was riding our coat-tails," she said sheepishly.

"Not only that!" Ron added. "He called her a mudblood and she was like 'be nice to him Ron, it must be hard to always be second best to mudblood, and half-blood and a blood traitor!"

Harry's jaw dropped. "Bloody hell Hermione! Where'd that come from?" he said laughing.

"Language!" Mrs. Weasley said. "All of you!"

"I don't know," she giggled into her cup, ignoring Mrs. Weasley.

 


	11. Harry's Birthday Party

**Chapter 11**

**Harry's Birthday Party**

Harry flew around the Weasley's homemade Quidditch pitch lazily, watching Fred and George try to hit Mr. Weasley with a bludger. His heart swelled when he saw James on the other side of the pitch, looking for the snitch as well. His father gave him a cheeky grin and moved on. It still amazed him that his parents were alive. Every year on his birthday he had wished for his parents and it was still sinking in that his wish had come true.

"Fred, stop that!" Mr. Weasley called up at to his son. "I'm on your team!"

"Never!" Fred laughed wildly.

"Never!" George replied and whacked a bludger at Ginny.

"Gits!" She called back to them.

George shrugged and aimed a bludger at Ron at his spot at the goal post. Ron ducked and nearly fell off his new broom. Hermione looked up from her book on the ground and laughed. Ron blushed. "Why don't you send some of those at Harry? Leave me alone for five minutes," he yelled at his older brothers.

"Bad luck to beat a boy on his birthday!"

"Say that five times fast!" Fred challenged his twin brother. George smiled and started repeating it.

"Yah Ron!" Harry called down from the other side of the pitch. "What he said."

"Bloody hell. They're more loyal to him than they are to us," he complained to Ginny, as the twins knocked another one at him. "Stop that! If you break my new cleansweep, I'll kill both of you!"

"You hear that George?" Fred called. "He said he's going to kill us!"

George laughed. "Yah right. I'd like to see that."

"Shut it!"

Harry laughed at his friend. He looked around the pitch watching the game with interest. Ginny flew past her brother and threw the quaffle into the goal. Harry and Mr. Weasley cheered her on. The twins, who had turned on everyone and created their own team, tried to hit Mr. Weasley again with a bludger.

Ginny smiled and made a victory lap around the pitch, her red haired pony tail flying wildly behind her. Harry sighed and watched her fly by. _Her smile could light up a room full of Peruvian instant darkness powder,_ he thought to himself. _And her hair…_ A flash of movement brought Harry out of his revelry as James burst past him, chasing the snitch. Harry urged his broom forward and followed his dad, looking for a glimpse of golden wings. He mentally scolded himself for getting distracted. _There!_ He thought as he saw it turning to the left. Harry leaned in and to the left, for a tight turn, nearly cutting his father off who had to swerve to the right. "Hey!" He heard James laugh.

They followed the snitch head to head for a few minutes around the pitch, when it took a steep drive towards the ground. Harry and James followed suit. As they got closer and closer to the ground, Harry tucked in for more speed. James tugged his broom and pulled up twenty feet from the ground, following from above. Harry continued on, determined to catch it. At the last second, Harry pulled out of the dive and skimmed the tall grass and reached out. He caught the snitch with his left hand and waved it in the air.

"Merlin's pants!" James said, flying up next to him and ruffled his hair. "Not bad, Prongslet."

"Thanks," Harry laughed.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

Everyone filed into the kitchen, brooms in their hands, laughing and talking. Lily and Mrs. Weasley looked up from cooking to watch them all come in. "What is that smell?" Remus asked aghast, putting down his book, disgustedly.

"The smell of winning!" Fred said devilishly. Remus raised an eyebrow.

"Winning?" Ginny asked hotly. "You abandoned your own team to throw bludgers at Dad and Ron. You didn't win anything!"

"Feisty, this one," Fred told his brother.

"Yah, don't get your knickers in a wad, sis," George replied. Ginny scowled and whacked George in the face with the butt of her broom. "Ouch!" he yelped.

"Say it again!" she urged, brandishing her broomstick.

"Now, Now!" Mrs. Weasley said. "Calm down. Keep the fighting for outside. If you break your broom over your brother's face Ginevra, you will not get a new one," she warned, pointing a wooden spoon at her daughter. Ginny glowered at the twins, and set the broom against the wall, next to Harry's firebolt.

"Happy birthday Harry," Lily said, pulling her son into a hug, before pulling away quickly. "Oh you do stink. Phew!"

"Go clean up all of you. Dinner is in an hour," Mrs. Weasley said, shooing everyone out of the kitchen.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"No, no. Were eating in the drawing room," Mrs. Weasley told them, ushering them into the hall, before she returned to her cooking.

"The drawing room?" Harry asked as they walked down the hall. "We haven't finished cleaning it yet."

Ron shrugged. "Who knows. Ever since Fred and George tried to make off with those pixies they haven't even let us in there. I think Remus, Sirius, James and Dad have cleaning it out." Harry opened the door, curiously wondering what the room would look like emptied out.

"Happy birthday!" Everyone called out when he opened the door. Harry stared at the small crowd of people, dumbfounded. Ron pushed him into the room. The drawing room had been completely cleaned out and two large, round tables had been placed in the center surrounded by red and gold streamers and decorations. A smaller table sat in the corner of the room, with a small pile of wrapped gifts. His parents, Sirius, Remus and Hermione stood at the front of the group. Behind them Mr. Weasley, the twins, Ginny, Tonks, Kingsley, and Mad-eye Moody were sitting in chairs around the two tables. When realization set in, a smile spread across Harry's face.

"Wow," Harry said in awe.

"Happy birthday darling," Lily said, stepping up and enveloping him in a hug.

"Thanks, mum," he said hugging her back.

James patted the seat next to his at one of the tables. Harry let go of his mother and sat next to his father, who promptly patted him on the back and slapped a ridiculous red hat on his head. "Happy birthday, son."

Harry grinned and took a sip of pumpkin juice from one of the cups close by. "This is great," he said looking around the room again. "Thank you."

James laughed. "This isn't even the fun part!"

"The fun part?" Harry asked hesitantly, wondering what his father was up to.

Sirius leaned in excitedly. "Presents Harry. Presents! The best part of any good birthday party. Just wait and see."

Mrs. Weasley entered the room balancing a large plate of food, Lily following behind her carrying another. "Make way, make way!" Mrs. Weasley said, moving through the throng of people. She set it down on the table and turned around to face Harry.

"Happy Birthday Harry," she smiled. "We made some meat pies and treacle tart and cake for dessert. I know they're your favorites." The smile on Lily's face faded a knotch, and she placed her tray down gently, before wandering away from the conversation.

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley," Harry said. "But you didn't have to go and do all that. A normal dinner would have been fine."

"Pfft," she said, shaking her hands. "It's nothing."

Hermione and Ron slid into the two chairs across from him. "Happy birthday Harry!" they said together.

"How long has everyone been planning this?" Harry asked in amazement.

"About a week," Hermione said.

"It's why we went to the Burrow, so everyone could get the party ready," Ron told him, opening a bottle of butter beer. "Pretty wicked isn't it?" Harry nodded enthusiastically.

"Tuck in everyone!" Mrs. Weasley said, sitting down next to her husband farther down the table. Everyone started piling meat pies, mashed potatoes, gravy, and vegetables onto their plates in earnest. Mad-eye moody came by a few minutes later, and gave Harry a hard pat on the back, followed by Tonks and Kingsley before returning to their dinner.

"How do you like it Harry?" James asked, taking a bite of his dinner.

"It's amazing."

"We wanted to invite more people but with the Fidelius charm we couldn't," Lily explained to him quietly from the other side of James.

Harry shook his head. "It's no problem. I understand." She smiled at him.

A while later, Hermione and Ginny left and came back with the dessert Mrs. Weasley had promised. Harry smiled awkwardly as Ginny set the cake in front of him. He stared at the candles with a confused look as James lit them with his wand. He already had his parents, what else would he want? _Voldemort to choke on a carrot and die?_ Definitely, but was he allowed to be selfish for once, with everything going on? His thoughts drifted towards Ginny playing Quidditch earlier with her vibrant red hair flying behind her. _No,_ he scolded himself. _Ron would never stand for it. Something else. A quiet year at Hogwarts, maybe. Yes, let's go for that,_ he said to himself unconvincingly. He blew the candles out, unsure of what it was he was wishing for.

"Alright!" James said clapping his hands together excitedly. "Time for presents!"

Remus laughed at him. "You look more excited than Harry does James."

James waved him off and picked up a gift wrapped in brown paper from the top of the stack. "Here we go," he said. "Open this one first." Harry took the gift and pulled the white string ribbon off, curiously. Inside the box was a small mirror. He picked it up and stared into his own reflection. Or what he thought was his own reflection. "Nifty things aren't they?" his reflection said. Harry jumped, and looked at his father, who was holding a matching mirror in his hands.

"What is this?" Harry asked surprised.

"A two way mirror," James said simply. "All you have to do is look into it, tap it with your wand and you can communicate with whoever has the other one."

"So you can get a hold of your father and I whenever you want to talk," Lily said, smiling.

"Really, from anywhere?" Harry asked, inspecting the silver backed mirror carefully.

Sirius nodded from a few seats away. "Your father and I used to use them when we were at Hogwarts," he told Harry. "They can work from any distance."

"Neat, Thank you," he said to his parents happily. "It's really great."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

Harry sat on his bed going through his trunk. Ron sat next to him, munching on a bag of muggle candies. "Wow, Hermione your right," Ron said to Hermione who was sitting on Ron's bed organizing her own trunk. "These muggle candies are pretty good!"

"I bought those for Harry!" she laughed. "For his birthday! Don't eat all of them." Harry pulled out his stuff and started sorting out the junk.

"I'm his best mate!" he told her, plopping a few in his mouth. "Which gives me the right to share his candy, whenever he gets some, isn't that right Harry?"

"Sure, Ron," Harry said, shaking his head. "Whatever you say." He threw another old pair of moldy socks into the trash bin by the door.

"I wonder who they convinced to take teach defense against the dark arts," Hermione said as she packed her defense textbook.

Ron picked Harry's copy up and examined it. "Considering what we usually end up with, some barmpot probably." Harry picked up the pile of gifts from earlier sitting at the end of his bed and started looking through them. He set the mirror his parents had given him in its case and placed it in the bottom of his trunk. The pocket knife from Sirius, his wand arm carrier from Mad-eye moody, and the broom cleaning kit from Ron went in next.

"Can I see that?" Hermione asked Harry gesturing towards one of the books. Harry handed it to her and continued packing his gifts. " _History of the Ancient Potter Family Line,"_ she read the red and gold cover, fascinated. "It sounds like an interesting read. Does every wizarding family have one of these?" she asked Ron. Harry put the note-taking quill from his mother and put it in his quill box.

Ron shook his head. "Not all of them, only the really old family's like the Malfoys, Blacks, and the like. Families like the Prewetts, Bones's and us Weasleys don't even have a family crest." He took a bite out of one of Harry's licorice wands. "Or a motto. Not really at least. When we were kids Fred and George made one with two garden gnomes fighting over a carrot that said 'Somethings bound to turnip, that we Weasley's can't be beet, So if you carrot all, kindly mind your feet.'" They laughed.

"I'm glad your mum and dad got you a set of Wizard's chess," Ron said picking up the mahogany box next to his knee. "You can play with me more often, and you might even stand a chance. If your pieces learn to trust you."

"I hope so," Harry said happily. "Wanna get your set out? Maybe they can teach mine a few tricks."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

_"What do you mean he's disappeared?" Voldemort snapped, losing his temper. Niagini hissed and everyone at the table tensed. "I give you one simple task: watch the boy, tell me what he's doing. Where did he go that was so hard for you to follow him?"_

_"I- I don't k-k-know, m'lord," Wormtail stuttered, wringing his hands nervously. "He went for a w-w-walk and never came back."_

_Voldemort gave Wormtail a dangerous look and walked closer to him. "If I can't trust you to keep an eye on a fourteen year old boy taking a walk, what am I supposed to do with you?" he asked watching Wormtail try and avoid eye contact with him. "You're keeping something from me, aren't you Wormtail?"_

_Wormtail's eyes bulged in terror. "J-James a-a-and Lily were t-there," he said quickly. "T-they took the b-b-boy with them. I t-thought I m-must have been wrong, I d-d-didn't want to say something I w-wasn't s-s-sure of."_

_"James and Lily Potter?" Lucious Malfoy laughed from further down. "Ridiculous. They've been dead for over a decade."_

_"I have to agree with Lucious, Wormtail," Voldemort said calming down. "That certainly sounds like a tall tale, my friend. But I sense your truthfulness." Wormtail visibly relaxed. "How could this be possible?" he said to the group of death eaters._

_"An allusion charm," Goyle said._

_"Polyjuice Potion?" McNair asked._

_"No," Lucious told him. "There's nothing left of them to put in a polyjuice potion. Besides, the Order of the Phoenix has feelings for the brat. They'd never impersonate his parents." Voldemort nodded his silent agreement. "Perhaps, my lord," Lucious said leaning closer to the table, "we should look into what happened with your wand. I feel that whatever this Potter thing is, some research might give us the answers we're looking for," he advised._

_"A good idea indeed," Voldemort said standing up. "I want them dead, none the less. Lucious, I want to know if the ministry of magic has any knowledge of this."_

_Lucious bowed his head respectfully. "It will be done my lord."_

_"Come Niagini." The snake followed its master faithfully. "Oh, and Wormtail," he said casually. "The next time you lie to me, I will dispose of you. You have very little worth." Wormtail gulped fearfully. "Remember that." Voldemort walked silently on his bare feet out of the room, Niagini slithering behind him…_

Harry opened his eyes suddenly and sat up, disoriented. He rubbed his prickling scar and wiped the sweat off his face. The alarm clock next to Ron read 11:39. A lump formed in his chest. Voldemort knew his parents were alive, and he wanted them dead. And to top it off, Wormtail had been watching him all summer. For some reason, the fact that Peter Pettigrew was spying on him scared him more. A violated feeling creeped down his spine. Knowing he wouldn't be able to back to sleep he got out of bed, looking for a distraction. He picked up a random book from where his open trunk sat at the end of his bed and opened it. A photo of him and his parents when he was a baby waved at him when he turned over the cover. It was the photo album Hagrid had given him first year. Harry flipped through the pages until he came to one of just him and his mother. Lily was holding him over a big birthday cake, blowing out the single candle. A thought dawned on him. _All of this has been hard enough for me, but imagine what it's like for them._ How would he feel if he got separated from Ron and Hermione for fourteen years? It would be horrible. He had noticed the sad look on his mother's face at the party last night. It was probably miserable for them, missing all of his childhood.

That was the reason he didn't want to tell his parents about the Dursley's. He didn't want them to feel worse than they already did. Harry knew that none of it was their fault, it was Voldemort and Wormtail who killed them and forced him with the Dursley's. But he was pretty sure his parents took everything he said to heart. But his dad had said that they wanted to know. _Maybe they were right,_ he thought to himself. _Maybe I should talk to them. What bad could it do?_

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

Harry walked up the flight of stairs quietly, the photo album in his hand. The house elf head plaques continued to stare at him blankly as he passed. When he stepped onto the landing, he turned right, down the small hall before stopping at the door. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door quietly, not wanting to wake them up if they were asleep.

"Who is it?" he heard his mother call softly.

"Err… Harry?" he said awkwardly.

"Harry? You can come in," she said. He came in and closed the door behind him. Lily was laying in bed, under the covers reading a book. "Is everything alright? What are you doing up so late?"

Harry shrugged. "Nightmares. I wanted to give you something," he told her, holding out the photo album. "I don't need it anymore, but I thought you might like to have it." She sat up in the bed and took the album from him.

"What is it?" she asked.

"My photo album. Hagrid gave it to me when I finished my first year at Hogwarts," Harry told her. She opened the album gently. "I know you were pretty upset earlier today, and I thought it might cheer you up."

"Oh Harry," she said emotionally. "Thank you. Where did he get these?"

"Your welcome," he said. "Hagrid wrote to a bunch of letters to people you used to know and asked them to send pictures for it."

Lily nodded. "I recognize some of these pictures. Would you like me to tell you about them?" she asked, gesturing at the photo album.

"I- really?" Harry asked. "I'd like that." She patted the spot next to her on the bed and Harry hesitantly climbed onto the bed and sat next to her.

"This," she said and pointed to the first photo. James and Lily were sitting on a bench with Harry between them in a green jumpsuit, holding a small, stuffed quaffle ball. "This one we took when you were four months old at Diagon Alley. Your dad wanted to go pick up the new broom that came out that day. Sirius came along to. James was blabbering on to you about Quidditch when you picked that ball up and wouldn't let go of it. He was convinced from that point on that you'd grow up to be a chaser, end of story. And this one," she said turning the page, "we took a few days before we went into hiding. At Frank and Alice's Anniversary party."

"Can I ask you a question?" Harry asked.

"Sure Harry."

"You looked upset at the party earlier, What happened?"

Lily sighed. "It dawned on me, that I really know nothing about you. I know the amazing things you've done, but not you. I didn't know your favorite food, and I don't know your favorite color or your favorite subject at school. Things like that."

"I know how you feel," Harry sighed, leaning against the headboard. "The only thing I know about you and dad is that I have your eyes and dad's looks. That's basically it."

She gave him a sad smile and ruffled his messy black hair. "That you do."

"Green," he said suddenly.

"What?"

"My favorite color is green," Harry repeated. "My favorite subject is Defense Against the Dark Arts, my least favorite is Potions. You?"

"Green is my favorite too," she laughed. "But my favorite subject was Potions. I hated transfiguration though. I was horrible at it. That was your father's favorite subject."

"I think I remember Mr. Ollivander telling me that when I first got my wand. Dad's was for transfiguration, he said. And your was-is for… charms?"

She nodded. "Charms was my second favorite subject. Yours?"

"Care of Magical creatures. I think it's Hagrid that I like more than the actual class. Have you met him?"

"Briefly," Lily told him. "You'll have to give us a proper introduction some time. Favorite form of transportation?"

"Brooms definitely," he said to her. "The first time I used Floo Powder, it took me to Knockturn Alley instead of Diagon Alley. I can't keep my footing with Portkeys and Apparation makes me nauseous."

"Knockturn Alley?" she laughed. "You do have a problem with trouble, don't you?" Harry nodded. "Well my favorite is the Floo. The flames tickle."

"Who was your favorite teacher at Hogwarts?"

"Professor Slughorn. He was our Potions master," his mother said. "Yours?"

"Remus," Harry said simply. "He was the best DADA teacher we've ever had."

"Remus taught at Hogwarts? I'm surprised the parent's were alright with him being a- well sick most of the time," she lied hesitantly, not wanting to tell Harry if he didn't know.

"I know he's a werewolf," Harry told her. "It's alright. Hermione figured it out part way through the school year. Even if she hadn't, we'd of figured it out anyway. Dumbledore didn't tell anyone when he hired him. But after everything that happened at the end of the year, word got out, so he left."

"What happened?" she asked worriedly.

"It's not that bad," he assured her. "It was the only year I didn't have a run in with Voldemort."

"The only year?" she asked exasperatedly. "Why can't you have a normal year at Hogwarts?"

"Trust me, Ron, Hermione and I have been wondering that for a long time."


	12. Minder of the Muggleborns, Hero of the Half Bloods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's always covered in blood. Plot ensues.

**Chapter 12**

**Minder of the Muggleborns,**

**Hero of the Half-Bloods**

Hermione burst into their room. "What are you doing?" she snapped. "Get up! We're going to be late for the train!" Harry jumped out of his bed quickly and whacked his forehead on the end table next to him.

"Bloody hell!" he yelped.

"Oh no! You’re bleeding, Harry," Hermione said. Harry touched his forehead, and saw blood on his fingers.

"I'll deal with it later," he said.

Ron sat up and stretched. "Whas goin on?" he yawned.

"Get dressed Ron. We're going to be late," Harry said, pulling off his sock and putting it on his forehead to stop the bleeding. He opened his trunk and pulled out a new pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt.

"I'll meet you downstairs!" Hermione said hurriedly, and rushed out the door. Harry slid out of his pajamas. Ron flopped down onto his bed and groaned. Hermione stuck her head back into the room. "Now!"

Harry jumped and covered himself with a pillow, the sock still on his forehead. "Get out Hermione!" he yelled.

She blushed. "Sorry."

He waited for a minute after she left before throwing the pillow at Ron. "Get up already!"

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"There you two are!" A woman with red hair, brown eyes and a long face said from the bottom of the staircase. She was wearing a cream shirt with a dark blue knee length skirt.

Harry and Ron looked at one another and then looked at her confused. "Uh, yeah," Harry said awkwardly.

She laughed. "It's me Harry," she said. "Lily. It's just an allusion charm."

"Oh right. Hello."

Lily smiled and urged them on. "Hurry up, we're going to be late!" Harry nodded, and dragged his trunk and Hedwig's cage down the last step. "Oh no! What did you do to your forehead?" she asked him worriedly, pulling back his bangs to inspect the bloody gash.

"Nothing," he said quickly. "I just hit it on an end table." Ron reached the bottom of the stairs and leaned his trunk and pig's cage up against a wall. Mrs. Weasley ushered Ginny, a woman with bubblegum pink hair, Fred, George, James and Hermione out of the kitchen.

The woman with the pink hair shook Harry’s hand as she past. “Wotcher, Harry! I’m Tonks. Brilliant to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you,” he replied, as Lily stood over him, inspecting his head.

“Nymphadora!” Moody barked from the door. “Get a move on!”

“Don’t call me _Nymphadora_!” she said dangerously, stomping over to the grizzled Auror. Harry almost jumped out of his skin as he watched her hair color change to fire-engine red.

“Wicked,” Ron said next to him. “I’ve never met a metamorphmagus before.”

"You okay?" A tall blonde haired man asked Harry as Mrs. Weasley led Hermione and Ginny outside.

"Dad?" he asked his mother.

She nodded. "He knocked his head on an end table," Lily explained to her husband, still poking at Harry's head gingerly.

"We'll have to sort it out on the way," he told his wife, shepherding them out. Lily put the sock back on Harry's forehead, and James grabbed his trunk and cage. Outside, Mr. Weasley was trying to grab Sirius, who had transformed into his animangus form. The big black dog barked and loped over to Harry, rubbing against him.

"Snuffles!" James said reaching down to grab him. "Get back inside! Dumbledore said no!" Sirius nipped his hand affectionately and ran out of his reach. "Oh fine then, it's your own head!" he called out to him.

"Get moving," Moody snapped from the front. "We look like sitting ducks out here! Constant Vigilance!" The group started walking quickly down the street.

"Let me see that cut again," Lily said as they walked. Harry turned his head to her and took the bloody sock off, still walking. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at his forehead, before looking around to see if any muggles were nearby. Satisfied, she said, " _coagulum._ " Harry felt a sting and a tingling sensation. "That should stop the bleeding… eventually."

"Oh, and until then?" James asked his wife, looking at Harry's bloody face as he caught up with them.

Lily shot him a dirty look. "I'm not a healer, give me a minute. Where's Remus when you need him?" she muttered to herself. "It's on the tip of my tongue, do you remember what it was? Amendo something?

James thought about it for a moment. " _Amendo Epidendum_. We used it all the time when we were kids." Sirius barked in agreement.

" _Amendo Epidendum!"_ Lily said.

"Ouch!" Harry said, rubbing it painfully.

"Sorry," she said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah it's fine, mum," he told her.

"Alright then. Run along, we're falling behind."

Harry sped up to a jog, trying to catch up to the group. "What is Moody doing here? And Tonks, Kingsley and Mundungus?" Harry asked Hermione when he got close enough.

"They're the guard," she said simply trying to keep Crookshanks from scratching her from inside his cage. The cat hissed at her and made a swipe at her with his paw. "Ugh! Bad Crookshanks. He hates being cooped up," she explained.

"Guard? Why do we need a guard?"

" _We_ don't need a guard. _You_ do," she corrected.

"I thought they said Voldemort was lying low? Do they really think he's waiting in a dumpster, waiting to pick me off?" he asked irritated.

"I don't know!" she said indignantly as they hurried along. "It wasn't my idea." Sirius trotted along beside Harry and licked his hand. Crookshanks hissed angrily at the animagus.

"The last thing I need in my life is a guard detail," he mumbled to himself. He walked in silence, watching Sirius run along beside them, chasing birds and tripping people up. A muggle passed by at some point and yelled at them to put him on a leash before he called animal control.

He then spent the rest of the walk listening to Hermione explain to Mr. Weasley what animal control was.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"Good! We made it!" Mrs. Weasley let out a sigh of relief when they went through the gateway. The train let out a loud toot. “Well barely… But still. Come on Ginny, on the train now," she said leading Ginny to the nearest opening.

"Ron, Fred, George, Hermione," Mr. Weasley said, leading everyone else towards the train as well. "Let's get you things aboard."

"We should probably get your things onboard as well Harry," James said. "You don't want to miss the train."

"Good idea." They pushed Harry's things onto the train and dragged them through the crowded hallway of students and parents. A few people gave them strange looks as they passed, but Harry ignored them. He was used to being looked at. After a minute or two, they found the compartment everyone was in. Lily opened the door and they squeezed in. Ron was stuffing his owl under the seat next to Crookshanks and Hermione was going through her trunk looking for a book. James helped Harry lift his trunk into the cargo hold above the seats. Lily checked his forehead again, making sure it was healed.

"Alright," James said finally. "I think that's everything." Lily nodded.

"I'm going to miss you guys," Harry said softly.

Lily pulled him into a hug. "We'll miss you too. Don't forget that mirror we gave you," she said.

James nodded in agreement. "All you have to do is say our name and we'll be there."

"I will," Harry promised them.

The train gave another toot. "It's time to go," James said and patted Harry's shoulder. "We'll see you at Christmas, okay?"

"Yah. I'll see you then." Lily gave him another small hug before leaving. Harry watched them go down the corridor, longingly. Sighing when he lost sight of them, he turned around and closed the compartment door. He flopped down and stared out the window as the train started to roll out of the station.

"What's wrong mate?" Ron asked him.

"I had another dream about Voldemort the other night."

"What happened?" Hermione asked, closed her book and leaned closer.

"The Death-eaters were having a meeting. Voldemort confronted Wormtail, about losing me. He's been watching me all summer," Harry added in disgust. "Then to top it off, Wormtail said that my parents picked me up and took me away."

"So Voldemort knows?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded. "Well, so much for them keeping out of sight. Was that all of the dream?"

"No." Harry stared absently out the window again.

"What is it Harry?" Ron gave him a concerned look.

Harry sighed and folded his arms. "He wants them dead. Even more than me, I think."

"Your parents won't die this time," Hermione said softly. "They know the mistake they made with Pettigrew. They're more cautious than before." Ron nodded.

"But say something happens, and they get in a fight with a bunch of Death-eaters?" Harry said worriedly. "Voldemort will go straight for them."

"Your parents are not Cedric," Ron said hitting the nail on the head. "They are really talented adults who have years more experience under their belt than Cedric did. They won't go down very easy, mate."

"But if they do?"

"Harry," Hermione said quietly. "If you spend all your time worrying that they're going to die, you'll never let yourself get close enough to have a relationship with them. Don't do that to yourself."

Harry didn't reply and continued to watch the scenery as it passed by. Hermione sighed and opened her book. They sat in silence for a while after that. Ron finally convinced him to play a game of exploding snap, but Harry was only half-there, still worried about his dream. Eventually the alarm on Hermione's watch started to beep. She stood up and put her book back in her trunk.

"It's time, Ron," she said, pinning her prefect badge on her shirt. Ron nodded and pinned his on as well.

"Where are you guys going?" Harry asked them.

"Prefect meeting," they both said.

"We'll be back in a few hours," Hermione said. Harry nodded dejectedly. He couldn't help but wonder why Dumbledore had made Ron prefect and not him. Hadn't he proved himself worthy of the responsibility? He'd fought Voldemort more times than Ron. Ron didn't face him to get the sorcerer's stone, he wasn't in the chamber of secrets, and he definitely wasn't in the graveyard last year. What made him so special?

 _What am I doing?_ He scolded himself. _I'm being a horrible friend. I should be happy for him and instead I'm resenting him for something I really don't even want!_ He honestly didn't want to be a prefect. He didn't have time for the responsibility. He sighed. What was his problem lately? He felt so angry all the time. Back at the Dursley's, Grimmauld Place, and now here.

A croaking sound brought him out of his musings. _What on earth is that?_ He thought to himself when he heard it again. He looked under his jacket with no luck. The thing croaked again. Harry got on his hands and knees and looked under the benches. Trevor the toad croaked at him. "Trevor!" he sighed, picking the toad up. "Where's Neville?" he asked it, but it only stared at him blankly. "Alright, c'mon them. Let's go find Neville." Harry stood up and held the squiggling toad tightly as he left the compartment. He squeezed by the trolley as it passed by and headed down the hall looking through compartments.

"Nice head Potter!" Draco Malfoy sneered from an open compartment. "One scar not giving you enough attention? Now you need two?" Crabbe and Goyle sniggered from behind him

"Piss off, Malfoy," Harry said, walking past him.

Malfoy ignored the comment and followed along behind him. "I don't take orders from you," he snapped at Harry. "Who was that red-head you were talking to earlier?"

"What?" Harry said, turning around.

"That red head you walked on the train with. Not another Weasley is it?" he taunted. "Merlin knows we don't need any more of those."

"You must have fallen off your rocker," Harry lied, stuffing Trevor in his pocket. "I don't know what you're talking about." The last thing he needed was Draco Malfoy to find out about his parents. Voldemort would know in an instant.

"Oh!" Malfoy laughed. "Let me guess, it was Weasel's little sister wasn't it?" Harry blushed and turned back around, trying to get away from his arch nemesis. "Oh wait… I get it…Your dating Weasels sister!"

"I am not!" Harry said defensively.

"My father told me the Potter blood line used to be as pure as us," Malfoy bragged to him. "But then your dad married that mudblood, and then to make it worse, they had you." Harry bit his lip hard. _Calm down,_ he told himself. _He's not worth it. Remember, control._ "And now you’re drooling for a poor, ugly blood traitor. How many guys has she dated in the last two years? Five?" The group behind him laughed. Harry clenched his fists. _Control… Control Harry._ "I always knew the Potters had a thing for red-heads but I didn't know they had a thing for whores as well."

Harry snapped, and leapt onto Malfoy, knocking them to the ground. "Take it back!" Harry yelled and punched him in the nose with a _SNAP!_ "Take it back now!" Malfoy flipped Harry over on his back and started hitting him repeatedly, shattering his glasses. Harry's vision blurred, but he still threw back punches. Trevor jumped out of his pocket and started hopping down the hall.

The group of students gathering around them started cheering "fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"

"Bets! Place your bets!" Fred called out, watching the two of them writher around on the floor.

"A galleon says Potter takes off his nose!" Lee Jordan said.

Harry bit Draco's arm and rolled back on top. "Take it back, you twat!" Harry yelled. George bent over laughing.

"A sickle says he bites it off!" Seamus added and the crowd cheered louder.

Malfoy gained the upper hand once again. Harry felt his arm snap in half as it got pulled under him. He gritted his teeth and kneed Malfoy in the groin. Draco yelped and whacked Harry's head against the floor in anger. Dazed, Harry stopped still trying to regain his awareness, giving Malfoy enough time to pull out his wand.

 "How dare you, you Mudblood bastard!" Malfoy screamed and shot at a spell at Harry, causing his tongue to swell. The crowd booed. Harry slammed his elbow into Draco's chest, knocking the wind out of him and shattering his collarbone. Malfoy slammed Harry's face onto the ground again. Harry bit his engorged tongue and spat blood into the other boy's face and rolled back on top again. Draco pointed his wand at Harry again and opened his mouth.

 Harry grabbed the wand from him and snapped it in half on Draco's face. They tumbled over again. Draco grabbed Harry's neck and tightened his hands. Harry gasped and slammed his fist into Malfoy's shoulder repeatedly, trying to make him let go.

" _Levicorpus_!" Someone screamed from the back of the group. Harry and Malfoy flew away from another and crashed into opposite walls. "WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE!" Harry and Draco dragged themselves off the floor, bruised and bleeding. The crowd quickly moved, revealing Roger Davies and his gleaming head boy badge. "I said, what is going on?" No one said anything, instead they started dispersing slowly.

"Trevor!" Neville said, reaching down and picking up his pet toad. Dean Thomas grabbed his shirt and pulled him back into the crowd.

"He started it!" Malfoy said, doubled over holding his groin, pointing at Harry. Blood poured out of his broken nose.

"I di-nod," Harry shot back through a mouthful of blood, holding his broken arm. "If you wool 'ave kep yer mous hut wit yer bud puwity bull-" He started coughing.

"I don't care who started it. I'm finishing it!" Davies snapped at them. "Your heads of houses will hear about this! Now both of you back to your compartments. I even see your toe outside of them, I will kick you off this train myself!"

Malfoy scowled at Davies then turned to Harry. "This isn't over Potter. Watch your back!" He turned around and limped to his compartment and slammed the door.

Harry yelled and made to lunge at him again, but Fred and George caught him midflight. "Come on mate," Fred said. "You can kill him later." Together they lifted him up and started carrying him through the crowd. Once Davies left, everyone surrounded them cheering excitedly. "Move out of the way!" George called out. "The legendary, the illustrious, the courageous, Lord Potter!"

"Minder of the muggleborns! Hero of the half-bloods!" Fred added. "Protector of the people! Guardian of the Good!"

"Shut up," Harry mumbled tiredly as they carried him down the hall with a smile.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"Merlin’s pants!" Ron said, leaping out of his seat as Fred and George carried Harry in.

"Oh my god, Harry!" Hermione said worriedly. "What happened? Are you alright?" Harry looked at her blankly and shrugged. "What happened?" she demanded of the twins.

Fred grinned. "You should have seen it. He beat the bloody mickey out of Malfoy. Literally!"

"Yah, there was blood everywhere!" George said excitedly as they gently set him down.

"Wicked! We were wondering where you went," Ron said, clapping his friend on the upper arm.

"Ouch, Won!" Harry yelped.

"Sorry! You okay?"

Hermione poked at his arm with her wand. "I think it's broken," she said.

"Can you fix it?" Ron asked her. She shook her head.

"Whes my gasses?" Harry asked, through his enlarged tongue. George pulled them out of his pocket and put them on him. "Hewminy?" Harry said, tapping his shattered glasses.

" _Ocullis Reparo!"_ she said and swished her wand. Harry blinked as his vision returned to him.

"Tak you."

"Here, stick out your tongue," Hermione commanded. Harry stuck it out. " _Reducio_!"

His tongue shrunk in size. Harry mashed it around his mouth for a moment before thanking her.

"Why did you get in a fight with Malfoy, Harry?" she asked him. "That's not like you."

"He called my mother a mudblood whore. He was digging into Ginny too!"

Ron's jaw dropped. "He said what?"

"That, that- ugh!" Hermione said. "I hate him!"

"Wait, what?" George asked, dangerously. "What'd he say about Ginny?"

"Yah, what'd he say?" Ron asked again.

"Something about being ugly, poor and a blood traitor," Harry said, rubbing his bruised face to hide his blush.

Fred, George and Ron scowled. "Let's go George, we have work to do," Fred said. George nodded and they left. Ron stood up to join them.

"No Ron," Hermione said. "Stay here. You're a prefect, you can't go around pranking people. Besides, we're almost at Hogwarts and I don't think Harry can walk by himself."

"Yah your right," Ron sighed, sitting down. "Let's get changed."

Hermione looked at Harry and sighed, wiping blood off his face. "Why is it you're always bleeding?"

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

When they got off the train, Professor McGonagall stood by the exit scowling. Madam Pomfrey stood beside her. Harry cursed to himself as Ron and Hermione dragged him out. "Go faster!" he said to his friends. "Before she sees us!"

"Potter!" McGonagall called out loudly. "Get over here immediately." Hermione and Ron half-carried him over to her. "I am extremely disappointed in you, Potter," she scolded. "Fighting? I'd never of thought I'd be having this conversation with _you_ of all- Draco Malfoy! Come here!"

Draco was sprawled in Crabbe and Goyle's arms, when they brought him over. "Professor!" he said. "He started it!"

Harry scoffed. "Did not!"

"That's enough!" she said. "Madam Pomfrey is going to check you out and then we will decide your punishments."


	13. Dolores Umbridge

**Chapter 13**

**Dolores Umbridge**

Harry sat quietly on the cot as Madam Pomfrey forced a vile potion down his throat. Draco sat on the cot next to him sending scathing looks at him when no one was looking.

"I will be contacting both your families tonight," Professor McGonagall said. "And you will both receive three week's detention and one hundred house points for your disorderly conduct." Harry and Draco groaned.

"May I suggest that we not heal them magically?" Snape drawled. "Perhaps it will teach them a lesson if they have to suffer a bit."

McGonagall nodded at Snape. "That might not be a bad idea… Poppy?"

"Potter needs to stay overnight for his concussion, but other than that I have no issue with letting their bones set the muggle way," Madam Pomfrey said, forcing another potion down his throat. Harry grimaced. _Yuck! I hate sleeping potion!_ He thought disgustedly.

"The muggle way!" Malfoy said, incredulously. "That's barbaric! I was just defending myself! He is the one who started it. He broke my wand too!" Madam Pomfrey turned to Malfoy, giving him a potion as well, and poking him with her wand.

"Please, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter may have started the fight, but you pulled out your wand," Professor McGonagall said sharply.

"He owes me a new wand!" Draco urged, batting Madam Pomfrey's hands away from him. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Potter will replace your wand," Snape promised him. Malfoy harrumphed and folded his arms, contentedly. "However, I highly doubt that he started this feud." Harry did a double take. Was Snape defending him? _Hell must have frozen over…_

"What do you mean Severus?" McGonagall asked, as confused as Harry was. "Potter did, I'm afraid, throw the first punch."

"Yes, but as arrogant, troublesome and loose with the rules as he is, Potter doesn't get into fights for no reason. And Draco is known for being… _loose_ … with his tongue," he drawled giving Malfoy a dark stare.

Malfoy gaped at his head of house in astonishment. "When my father hears about this-!"

"I'm sure he would love to hear how you pulled a wand on a fellow student and cast a potentially dangerous spell at them. I am surprised he did not choke on that tongue," McGonagall said harshly, pointing at Harry. "Frankly I would love a chat with your father. And when I find out what you said, and believe me I will find out, Mr. Malfoy, we shall have a chat with him about that too." Draco just scowled. "If your punishment was up to me, you'd be sent home for a month." Harry paled. Was she going to send him back to Grimmauld place for a month? Granted he'd be able to spend more time with his parents, but a month? Hogwarts was his home away from home, and Grimmauld place was just… creepy… and cramped. "Fortunately for you, it is _not_ up to me."

"What's the damage?" Snape asked, turning to Madam Pomfrey.

"They got into it pretty good. Broken nose, shattered collarbone, dislocated shoulder, and a broken foot and ankle on this one," she said pointing at Draco. "Nasty concussion, broken arm, broken wrist and a broken cheek bone with this one." She wiped her hands on her apron. "Other than that, bruises, minor cuts and the like. I want Potter to stay the night-" Harry groaned. He hated the hospital wing. "Don't complain to me Mr. Potter. Concussions aren't anything to shake a stick at," she lectured him, before returning her attention to the two professors standing at the end of the beds. "Malfoy however can leave."

McGonagall nodded. "Very well. Severus will you escort Mr. Malfoy to the Slytherin common room?" He nodded.

Madam Pomfrey conjured up a pair of crutches and handed them to Draco. "Come back to me in a week."

"But what about Dinner?" Malfoy asked incredulously.

"I’m confident you would survive without dinner just fine," Professor McGonagall said dryly. "But I will send the house elves with something to eat." Malfoy followed Snape out, leaning on the pair of crutches. Harry gave a sigh of relief. _That wasn't so bad,_ he thought to himself.

"What did he say to you?" McGonagall asked him, crossing her arms across her chest.

"He called my mother a mudblood," he said, rubbing his aching head. "And went on about how I've ruined the Potter blood line. I just- I'm sick of listening to him go on about how much better he is than everyone else. I know I shouldn't have hit him. I just lost it."

"Mr. Malfoy is annoying, I know, Potter. Just ignore him, and he'll go away," Professor McGonagall said. Harry gave her a disbelieving look. "Get some rest. You don't want to get behind on the school year before it's even started."

"Yes Professor." She headed for the door at the end of the room. Harry lay down on the bed, tiredly. _I don't think a pillow ever looked so good,_ he said to himself as he closed his eyes. Madam Pomfrey's sleeping potion finally took effect and he fell into peaceful oblivion…

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked him, as he sat down at the breakfast table. "We got worried when you didn't show up last night."

"Madam Pomfrey made me spend the night," Harry explained to her. "I'm feeling much better though."

Ron snorted into is juice. "You don't look it mate," he laughed. "You look like you got into a fight with a bewitched dresser or something."

"Really?" Harry said, touching his face gently. "Is it bad?"

"It's not that bad, it's-" Hermione said delicately.

" _Terrible_ ," Fred and George said together, cheerfully. They slid into the bench next to them, and set their bags down. Fred picked up a silver goblet and put in front of Harry's face. Harry took it from him and looked at his reflection. His left cheekbone was bruised, his lip was split and he had two black eyes. He grimaced.

"I can't believe you beat him up!" Neville squeaked. "That was really brave. I don't think I could have done it." Harry nodded in thanks, awkwardly and started to pile sausages onto his plate.

"How much trouble did you get into?" Ginny asked from a few seats down, where she was sitting with a blonde haired girl in Ravenclaw robes.

"Three weeks detention with Professor McGonagall. And a letter to my paren- Aunt and Uncle," he finished hurriedly.

"It's a good thing for once that they don't care what you do at Hogwarts," Neville said positively, not noticing the slip up. "My Gran would kill me."

"Really?" Harry gulped worriedly.

Neville shrugged. "That or be really proud of me… She's kind of confusing like that…"

"No punishment will ever be enough to top the feeling of watching that git getting the mickey beaten out of him!" George declared. "Isn't that right Harry?"

Harry's mouth twitched upwards slightly. "Yeah, I suppose."

George lifted his goblet and stood up. "To Lord Potter! Hero of the half bloods!" he said loudly. A group of sixth year Hufflepuff's turned around and laughed, a few lifting their goblets as well. Harry blushed scarlet and concentrated on his breakfast.

Fred stood up next to his twin. "Minder of the Muggleborns!"

"Cheers!" George said to his brother and they tapped their goblets together. He bent down and clinked Harry's and Ron's goblets. Fred leaned behind him and tapped glasses with the group of Hufflepuff's. Hermione scowled at Fred and George.

Professor McGonagall walked up to the group of Griffindor’s. "I hope we're not celebrating the loss of one hundred points from Griffindor," she said dryly, staring at Fred and George.

"Of course not, Professor!" Fred said dramatically. "I'm wounded! How could you think that low of us?"

"We're celebrating the loss of a hundred points from Slytherin!" George added, happily.

She rolled her eyes. "Schedules," she said passing them out. Harry started scanning through his. _Who is Umbridge?_ He thought when he read the name next to his Defense Against the Dark Arts class. "Oh and Mr. Potter, I expect to see you at 7:30 sharp, tonight. Don't be late." Harry nodded quickly and she walked farther down the table.

"What is Umbridge like?" Harry asked his friends.

"A nutter," Ron said.

"As usual," Hermione said. "She interrupted Dumbledore's feast speech so she could introduce herself… What day do we have her?"

Harry looked back down at his schedule. "Today. First double potions, then defense, double transfiguration and then divination.

Hermione nodded. "I have Ancient Runes instead of Divination," she explained. "We should probably go get our books together and head out." Harry looked longingly at his nearly uneaten plate of food.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"If you have any plans of continuing potions next semester, you will need at least an Exceeds Expectations," Snape drawled as he walked around the dark classrooms. "Those of you with no spattering of potions ability, had best study hard or find another career." Harry looked up expecting Snape to be glaring at him, but the professor was staring down at Neville. Neville gulped.

"Pull out your books and open them to page 213. We will be working on the draught of peace. You will find everything you need in the storage cabinet. You have an hour and a half." Everyone's chairs scuffed against the floor as they stood up to pick up their ingredients. Harry got in line behind Pavarti. He looked further down the line and saw Draco leaning on his crutches, moaning to Pansy Parkinson. _Git_ , he thought. _It's not that bad_. Ron cut in line behind Harry, much to the dislike of the Slytherin behind him.

"No cuts," the Slytherin said roughly. "Get to the back of the line or else."

Ron shared a glance with Harry before turning around smiling. "Are you threatening me?" he said pompously. "I'm a prefect, you know. You'd better watch yourself." The Slythernin paled and took a step back. Ron turned back around happily. "This dumb badge is good for something, isn't it Harry?"

Harry laughed. "Be careful Hermione doesn't catch you doing that," he warned jokingly. "She'll have your head." They moved forward in the line.

"Have you seen Malfoy?" Ron asked pointing at him. "It's hilarious."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I know."

When it was their turn, they collected the ingredients they needed and carried them back to their table. Harry flipped open his book to the correct page and started to read. "Merlin's pants, this looks difficult," Ron complained. "We're never going to pass this class with an Exceed’s Expectations."

"Thanks, Ron," Harry said sarcastically. "That's the spirit." Ron laughed and grabbed a knife and a handful of beetle eyes. "Cut in halves to release the juices," Harry read from the book. Ron tried to cut it with the knife but it slipped out of his grasp and flew into the air, smacking into the back of Neville's head a few seats away.

"Sorry Neville," he called out.

Neville smiled. "It's alright, I think I did the same thing to Pansy Parkinson." Ron laughed and returned his attention to their potion.

"You are quite capable of cutting your own ingredients Mr. Malfoy!" Snape called from across the room. Draco looked up surprised as Crabbe sliced his mandrake root.

An hour later Harry and Ron sat over their potion, tired and sweaty. Harry looked around at everyone else's potions and sighed. Hermione's was silver, which meant theirs was supposed to be silver. He looked at their potion defeated. It was a moldy green color and it bubbled. "We're doomed," Ron moaned. Snape walked up behind them. Ron and Harry gulped as he looked in their cauldron.

"Did you put in your lacewing flies Potter?"

Harry looked over at his pile of flies and groaned. "No."

Snape gave him a look. "Pay more attention," he said before walking on. Harry and Ron shared a confused glance. _Is that it?_ Harry thought to himself. _No below the belt comments, no insults?_ He watched Snape as he graded other student’s potions, perplexed. He snapped at Neville and ignored Hermione. _He is acting normal to everyone but me-,_ Snape started yelling at Malfoy. _Or not._

"Are you trying to blow up this room, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape said irritably. "Ten points from Slytherin for that useless sludge." Malfoy gawked. "Class dismissed."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"Merlin, this place is hideous," Ron muttered under his breath as they walked in. Harry nodded his head in agreement. Dozens of ceramic plates lined the walls, emblazoned with meowing cats moving around. Harry and Ron sat awkwardly onto the furry carnation colored chairs. "This place is almost as bad as Trelawny's room."

Harry pulled out his defense textbook, a piece of parchment and the quick notes quill his mother gave him for his birthday. _Thank goodness_ , he thought to himself. His right arm and wrist was in a muggle cast, and he was no good at writing with his left. Hermione sat down next to Neville at the table in front of them.

"You're going to have to let me borrow that sometime," Ron said pointing at his quill.

"You can copy the notes later if you want," Harry said.

"Wicked. I hope this Umbridge isn't as big of a quack as she looked last night."

"What happened last night?" Harry asked.

"She interrupted Dumbledore to give a speech," Ron told him, rolling his eyes. "She works for the Ministry of Magic, Fudge's right hand I think."

"Great," Harry said morosely, leaning back in his chair. "Just what I need."

"Cheer up mate, you just got off to a bad start," Ron said as the office door opened. The students stopped talking, and watched the Professor carefully as she walked down the steps. She was a plump woman, Harry noticed, and short, with short hair as well. She was wearing a pink set of wizard robes that made her almost blend in to the pink classroom.

"Good morning class!" She said cheerfully, picking up a piece of chalk.

"Good morning professor," everyone said dully.

"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. My name is Dolores Umbridge, Professor Umbridge to all of you." She walked slowly over to the chalkboard. The piece of chalk in her hand rose up and started to write on the board. "Ordinary Wizarding Level Examination," she said sweetly. "More commonly known as O.W.L's! Now the Ministry of Magic has noticed some severe holes in your education. I am happy to tell you that is problem is now rectified. During this school year we will embark on a journey of carefully structured and theory centered learning. I am here to properly teach you what you need to know to pass your examinations in a safe and welcoming environment. In this Ministry approved class we have three goals. Does anyone know what they might be?" Everyone looked at Hermione, expecting her to. She shook her head and folded her arms. "No one? Very well." She tapped the chalkboard and the chalk started writing again.

_Class Goals:_

  1. _Understanding the principles of defensive magic_
  2. _Learning when to use defensive magic_
  3. _Placing the use of defensive magic in context necessary for practical use_



"Now does everyone have a copy of the text?" Everyone nodded. "Now I'd like you to read the first chapter in class and then we will discuss." With that she sat down in her fuzzy pink chair. Harry and Ron exchanged glances before opening up their books. Harry suffered through the first few pages before giving up. It was the most boring thing he'd ever read. Professor Binn's was a slapstick comedian compared to the text. Bored, he looked over to Ron who sat doodling on his text. When he looked to the table next to him he gave a jolt of surprise.

Hermione sat with pursed lips at her desk with one hand held up in the air, and the other resting on her unopened book. Harry gently nudged Ron to show him. Ron looked up quickly at Harry. He nudged his head in Hermione's direction and Ron bent forward to see. Ron's jaw dropped and he gave Harry an amazed look. Sensing that something interesting was going on, within a few minutes the rest of the class raised their heads to watch Hermione try and catch Professor Umbridge's eye.

Realizing that no one was going to continue reading until Hermione was dealt with, Umbridge asked "Did you have any questions about the text?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not about the text professor."

"Well we are reading right now," Umbridge said with a false smile. "I will answer your questions after class-"

"I have a question about your class goals," Hermione said quickly before she could be stopped. "I don't see anything in the course goals about practicing defensive spells!"

Professor Umbridge gave out a high pitched laugh. "Why, child, I cannot fathom any reason you would need to use spells in my class. Surely you're not expecting to be attacked during my class?"

"So we're not going to use magic?" Ron asked loudly.

"Students must raise their hands before speaking in my class. What is your name?"

"Ron Weasley," he said raising his hand. Umbridge turned around in an attempt ignored him but Harry and Hermione both raised their hands as well.

"What, Mrs. Granger."

"Surely the whole point of Defense Against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells?"

"Tell me Mrs. Granger. Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert?" Hermione shook her head.

"Well then I'm afraid you are not qualified to dictate the terms of my classroom. Wizards and Witches much older and wiser than you have created our new lesson plan. You will be learning about defensive spells in a safe, risk-free way-"

"What use is that?" Harry asked hotly. "If we're going to be attacked it isn't going to be risk free!"

" _Hand,_ Mr. Potter!" She snapped. Harry thrust it into the air, and she deftly ignored it. Dean raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr.?" Umbridge sighed.

"Thomas, Dean Thomas."

"Harry had it right, didn't he? If we're going to be attacked it won't be-"

"Do you expect to be attacked during my class, Mr. Thomas?" Umbridge asked shrilly.

"No, but-"

"I have no desire to criticize the way things have been run here at Hogwarts," she said with a false smile. "But you all have been exposed to some extremely irresponsible wizards. Not to mention disgusting half breeds."

"If you mean Professor Lupin," Dean said angrily. "He was the best teacher we ever had!"

"You have been exposed to potentially lethal spells that are highly inappropriate for your age group. You my dears, have been frightened into thinking you will meet dark attacks every other day!"

"No we haven't!" Hermione said.

"It is my understanding that your previous teacher not only performed illegal curses, he did so on you! And the professor before him-"

"He was a bloody maniac, wasn't he?" Ron said.

Dean nodded. "But we learned loads."

"Enough!" She screeched. "It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than enough to get you through your examinations. Which is what your Hogwarts education is about, is it not?"

Pavarti raised her hand. "Won't we have to use the spells on our O.W.L's?"

"As long as you have studied the theory well enough, there is no reason you shouldn't be able under controlled examination conditions."

"Without ever practicing them before?" Pavarti asked incredulously. "Are you saying that the first time we get to use the spells is during our exams?"

"I repeat, Ms. Patil, if you study the theory well enough-"

Harry stood up. "What good is theory going to be in the real world?"

"There's no one waiting out there, Mr. Potter."

"Oh yeah? How about Lord Voldemort?" Harry said mockingly. Several people in the class flinched at the name. "I'm sure he'd never attack children."

"Ten points from Griffindor, Mr. Potter," Umbridge snapped at him. "That is enough. Take your seat." Harry flopped down in his chair angrily, and the class quieted down. "Let me make something clear to all of you," she said dangerously. "You have been told that a certain dark wizard has returned from the dead-"

"He was never dead!" Harry said exasperatedly.

"If you speak up one more time in my class, Mr. Potter, you won't be in it much longer!" She yelled at him. She turned around to compose herself. "You've been told that this dark wizard is at large. _This is a lie._ "

"IT IS NOT A LIE! I SAW HIM, I FOUGHT HIM."

"DETENTION, Mr. Potter! Five o' clock. My office. I repeat, _this is a lie_. The ministry guarantees that there is no dark wizard wandering Europe. If someone is alarming you with lies, do not listen to them. Now kindly return to your reading." She sat down into her chair and returned to her paperwork.

Harry slowly stood up, his hands in fists. Everyone in the class watched him. Hermione grabbed the sleeve of his robe to pull him back down, but Harry pushed her hand away. "Mate, what are you doing?" Ron whispered.

"So according to you professor, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord, then?" Harry asked boldly. Several students gasped. No one knew what had happened that night but Ron and Hermione.

Umbridge looked up from her paperwork, and gave him a sickly sweet smile. "Cedric Diggory's death was a terrible accident."

"It was murder!" He clenched his fists, and unclenched them, trying to calm himself down. "Voldemort killed him. You know it, the ministry knows it. Cornelius Fudge is just too afraid to admit it, so he'd rather run away with his tail between his legs!"

"I will have no more disruptions from you, Mr. Potter," she said coldly, handing him a slip. "Take this to Professor McGonagall. Now." Harry tore the piece of paper out of her hand and stomped out of the room, pausing only to grab his book bag. He slammed the door behind him. Ron and Hermione watched him leave with gaping mouths.

As soon as he closed the door, the adrenaline coursing through his veins disappeared and was replaced by a cold dread. He stopped. What did he just do? He asked himself. He stuffed the letter into his pocket with shaking hands and took a deep breath. Why did he keep losing control like this? All the time? He just felt so… so angry.

He turned and headed down the hall towards McGonagall's office. She was going to kill him. This time he knew she was going to send him back to Grimmauld Place. Would they expel him this time? For once he was looking forward to leaving Hogwarts. This was the worst start of the semester he'd ever had. Two sets of detentions, a fight, and an argument with a professor. _Wait till my parents hear about this…_ He gulped. What would they do when they found out? Neville said his grandmother would likely kill him. Ron's mom definitely would. He made a right and continued walking. He had always only had the Dursley’s, they didn't care about what he did at Hogwarts, as long they could punish him. He had never wondered what they would think about his behavior. But his parents? He had been with them for little over a month and he'd done all of this.

When he reached the end of the hall, he cautiously opened the door to the transfiguration classroom, unsure if there was a class going on. Professor McGonagall sat at her desk writing something. The door creaked and she looked up. "What now, Potter?" she sighed. Harry didn't say anything, and handed her the note, hanging his head. She reached out and took it, unfolding the paper before reading. "Another week’s detention?" she said looking down at the note. "Sit down Potter," she said gently, setting the note down. Harry looked up surprised. He was expecting her to tear him to pieces. Awkwardly he sat on the chair she conjured up. "You need to be careful around that woman. Shouting at her and demanding that You-know-who is back is a very good way to get on her bad side. Do you know where she's from, Potter?"

Harry nodded meekly. "The Ministry."

"Yes. And can you guess to whom she is reporting to?"

"Fudge?" She nodded.

"Yes. There are many in the order who would not have me tell you this, but you need to know. Cornelius Fudge thinks you and Dumbledore are creating an army to rise up against him."

Harry snorted. "That is the most preposterous-"

"Yes it is. But not to him. He's sent Umbridge here to stop that from happening. She is a very dangerous woman. Getting into a fight with her might cost you more than detention and house points."

"But professor I was telling the truth!"

"This isn't about truth and lies, Potter! This is about controlling yourself and keeping your head down. Don't do anything to upset her." Harry nodded. "Now I found out what Mr. Malfoy said, Potter. If he says anything of the sort again, you send him to me _in one piece_. I will not have any more trouble from you this term, is that clear?"

"Yes Professor. What am I to do tonight?"

"Professor Umbridge is going to have to wait in line to get you for detention. I claimed you first. What is your next class?"

"Here," he said.

"Very well, finish doing your assigned Defense work. Oh and when you leave," she said pointing a finger at him, "we had a long discussion about your behavior that involved me threatening to hang you from your toes in an abandoned broom closet. Clear?"

Harry gave a small smile. "Yes, professor."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

"Mimbulus Mimbletonia," Harry said tiredly to the portrait of the Fat Lady, who smiled and pulled the lever back. He climbed through the portrait hole and into the common room. Fred and George sat at a table against the wall with a line of first years in front of them. He turned to go upstairs, when Hermione spotted him. "How was detention, Harry?" she asked looking up from her transfiguration book.

Harry shrugged and walked over to where she was sitting. "It was alright. She made me clean her classroom. What's up with the twins?"

Hermione huffed. "They're experimenting their new line of products. I told them to stop, but they won't listen."

Harry nodded in understanding. "Well I'm going to head up for the night. It's been a long day." She smiled and wished him goodnight.

When he climbed the stairs to the fifth year dormitory, he could hear hushed voices. He opened the door to find Seamus talking to Dean. "Hey Harry!" Dean said quickly. Seamus stopped talking and turned around to hang up a poster. Harry looked at them suspiciously as he set his book bag down on his bed. _Were they talking about him just now?_ He thought irritably.

"Hey Dean," he said, remembering McGonagall's warning to stay out of trouble. "How was your summer?"

"Alright," Dean said taking off his red and gold tie. "Better than Seamus's at least."

"What happened?" Neville asked, entering their dorm room.

"Me mum didn't want me to come back to Hogwarts," Seamus said flatly, turning around to face Harry. "Because of you."

"Because of me?" Harry asked affronted.

"Yah you. Dumbledore too."

"Your mom's been reading the Daily Prophet, hasn't she?" Harry guessed, crossing his arms. "She believes what they're saying about me and Dumbledore, then?"

"Pretty much," Seamus shrugged. Harry shook his head angrily and went into the bathroom to change.

"My gran says the Daily Prophet is what's going downhill, not Dumbledore and Harry," Harry heard Neville say through the door as he changed. Harry felt a flush of gratitude towards him. "If Dumbledore says You-know-who is back, then he's back."

Harry emerged from the bathroom in his pajamas. He sat onto his bed and pulled out the book on the Potter family his dad had given him.

Seamus looked up at him. "What happened that night?" he said hesitantly. "With Diggory?"

"Why don't you go read the Daily Prophet? They'll tell you what you need to know. That's where your mother gets her information." Ron walked into the dormitory and gave them a confused look.

Seamus sat up in bed angrily. "Leave my mother out of this, Potter!"

"What's going on?" Ron said.

"He made a go at my mother!" Seamus said.

"She's calling me a liar!"

"Woah, look. Calm down both of you," Ron said taking a step back.

"You can't believe that you-know-who is back, can you Ron?" Seamus asked.

"I do believe him," Ron said and tapped his prefect badge. "Now lay off of him or I'll give you detention." Seamus scowled, and closed his covers angrily. Harry nodded his thanks to Ron and lay down. He closed his covers and opened the book.


	14. Dreams

**Chapter 14**

**Dreams**

"Harry!"

Harry looked up from his book, but there was no one in the boy’s dormitory but him.

"Harry are you there?" he heard it call to him again from his trunk.

  _The mirror!_ He thought and bent over to pull his trunk out from under his bed. "Hey look Lils, the French National Quidditch team beat a game against the Greek Geraniums!" he heard his father say as he opened the trunk. "What?" his mother said. "I can see it in the mirror," he replied. Harry lifted the Quidditch magazine off the mirror and held it up. "Ah there you are- ughh." James crunched up his nose.

"Are you alright?" Lily asked worriedly.

Harry touched his bruised face. "I'm alright. It's not that bad," he shrugged.

"So the letter was true then," James said smirked. "You've been putting Slytherins in their place. Malfoy's no less!"

Lily smacked her husband on the back of the head. "James!"

"I mean, that was very bad… Don't do it again Harry," his father corrected quickly with a wink. Harry returned to his bed, drew the curtains and cast a silencing spell, so no one could hear them.

"What happened?" Lily asked.

"Typical Malfoy," he said. "He's always spewing rude comments. I didn't plan to hit him, I don't know what came over me."

"What did he say?" James asked.

Harry bit his lip and glanced at his mother. "It doesn't matter. Just stuff. Professor McGonagall gave me three weeks detention. It won't happen again. Well, the fighting, at least," he added dryly.

Lily gave him a small smile. "How's school so far?"

" _Terrible_ ," Harry groaned. "Fred and George keep calling me Lord Potter every time they see me, and it's wearing off on a bunch of older years. Everywhere I've gone today, someone has called me 'hero of the half bloods' or 'minder of the muggleborns.'" Harry rubbed his sore face. "It's so embarrassing. Seamus is convinced me and Dumbledore are liars. Snape is acting super weird, our new defense teacher is a git and she gave me another week of detention."

"Okay," James said, “first things first. You should prank the twins. It will probably teach them to leave you alone, and brighten your spirits! Kill two stones with one bird!"

Lily sighed. "Two birds with one stone James. And no he shouldn't go pranking the twins to leave him alone. He already has a month of detention, he doesn't need anymore!"

James shrugged. "I always wondered why that phrase didn't sound right...” he shrugged. “It's a shame you don't have my old cloak Harry… I really need to see about getting that back from Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore gave to me first year as a Christmas gift. It’s been all sorts of useful – Hermione and I smuggled a baby dragon out of the school with it once,” he added, happily.

His mother’s face contorted like she had swallowed a lemon - in such a way that Harry couldn’t help but notice the resemblance to Aunt Petunia. “You snuck a dragon-“ She shook her head. “Never mind, forget I asked.”

James brightened. "Brilliant. Truly. What's second?"

"Seamus thinks I lied about Voldemort," Harry said flatly.

"Prank him too!"

Lily snatched the mirror away from him. "Don't listen to your father, Harry. Pranking is not the answer to life's problems. You should be focusing on your schoolwork and staying out of trouble. Your O.W.L.’s are this year," she reminded him. "What else were you saying is wrong dear?"

"Snape is acting really… odd... Like odder than usual.”

" _Professor Snape_ ," she chided gently. "What do you mean odd?"

"Is he being a git to you?" he heard James say. "If he is, you tell me and I'll take care of dirty old Snivellus." Lily shot him a dark look.

"No he's not being a git," Harry said to his father. "That's the weird part. He usually is, but he wasn't today. He spent the class picking on Draco. He didn't even say anything when my potion almost blew up!"

"Severus is not as cold hearted as you think Harry," Lily told him. "We used to be friends when we were children. He's probably shook up about us coming back, just like you. Who knows, maybe he got sick of listening to that Malfoy boy too."

"He has friends?" Harry asked incredulously. His father sniggered loudly.

"Is that all you got out of that?" Lily huffed.

He shook his head. "No, but it was the most interesting part."

"You're just as bad as your father." She sighed.

James took possession of the mirror again. "So what's up with your defense teacher? And more detention?"

"Her name is Umbridge, she works for the ministry," Harry said hotly.

"The ministry is interfering at Hogwarts?" James frowned. He shared a meaningful glance with Lily. "That can't be good."

"It isn't. She's convinced we only need to know the theory behind defensive magic not any spells or counter curses."

"Just theory?" Lily asked incredulously. "That won't do you any good in the real world."

"I know! I told her that! Then she asked who we would need to protect ourselves from. She called me a liar!"

"Harry," Lily warned. "If the ministry is interfering at Hogwarts, then you need to be careful."

"Your mother's right," James said. "She'll be looking for a reason to get rid of you. Especially if she’s prescribing to Fudge’s delusions."

"I know. Professor McGonagall warned me."

"Listen to her," Lily said simply. "It doesn't matter if this Umbridge believes you or not. You know what really happened, and so do Ron and Hermione, and us, Sirius, Remus, and everyone else in the Order. The people that matter know you’re telling the truth, and that's all that really matters. Ignore her goading. It will only cause you trouble."

Harry leaned back against the headboard in defeat. "I'll try."

"That's all we ask," James said. "But it's not why we called."

"We wanted to let you in on what's going on," Lily continued.

"What's wrong?" He lifted his head back up, instantly alert. “Did something happen?”

"Nothing's wrong, don't worry," James said calmly. Harry gave him a disbelieving stare.

"The Order is pretty sure that Voldemort knows we're back," he continued bluntly. "We've been keeping tabs on known death-eaters. Kingsley caught McNaire asking an unforgiveable about wandlore-" Lily gave him a wary glance. "And Remus says Lucius Malfoy's been snooping around Knockturn Alley with books."

"With that in mind," Lily said delicately, "we've decided to come out in the open."

"There's no point hiding behind the curtains, if he already knows," James said.

"But won't it be dangerous?"

Lily game him a warm, reassuring smile. "We'll be fine. We've dealt with him before."

Harry gave her a sour look. He distinctly remembered the last time his parents had “dealt” with Voldemort. They’d ended up dead, and he’d gotten stuck at Privet Drive.

"-That doesn't count," James sighed, and ran his head through his messy, jet black hair. "We put our trust in the wrong person. We know better now."

"I know, I just- do you have to?"

"Sirius deserves his freedom Harry. And it's the right thing to do," Lily said, simply.

"There is another war brewing out there. Your mother and I are not willing to sit on the side lines hiding, while others put their lives at risk for us."

Harry nodded in understanding. "I'd do the same," he admitted, reluctantly. "Do you have a plan?"

"Dumbledore suggested going to the ministry to clear Sirius," James told him. "They'll run a whole bunch of tests to make sure it's us. We're still deciding on what to tell them."

"Has Dumbledore figured it out? Why you guys are back?” he inquired, eagerly.

"For some reason your wand linked with Voldemort's that night in the graveyard," his mother hesitated. Harry could tell she wasn't telling the truth but didn’t bring attention to it.

"Is it because our wands are brothers?" He asked them.

James looked surprised. "So you know about that, then?"

"Olivander told me when I got my wand in Diagon Alley," Harry explained.

"He knew, and he still gave it to you?" Lily asked aghast.

"The wand chooses the wizard, Lils," James quoted. "Wand lore is a finicky thing. My dad had a friend who was a wand maker in Switzerland. Whenever he talked about wands, he talked about them like they had feelings. Completely bat-shit, but he studied wands for almost a century before he opened his shop."

"But why did it have to choose him?"

Harry pushed back his hair and tapped his scar. "We're connected somehow. I don't know why. I can speak Parsletongue, I can sense when he's near, and I can see into his head when I sleep sometimes."

His father stiffened. "You can see him in your dreams?" he clarified.

Harry shrugged. "I can see what he's doing sometimes. It's sporadic, like when he's really angry or happy. He does know you picked me up from the Dursley’s, he just isn't sure it's really you. Pettigrew has been watching me all summer apparently, keeping tabs on me for Voldemort. He saw you and told him. Most of the death eaters think it's a trick, but Voldemort's suspicious. He sent Lucius Malfoy to figure it out."

"Harry," Lily said gently, ghostly pale. Her voice warbled uncertainly. "That's not good... How long have you been having these dreams?"

He thought about it for a moment. "Since last summer."

"Don't put stock into what you see, Harry," James told him. "We'll talk to Dumbledore and figure out a way to stop this. But until then, do everything you can to prevent these visions from happening. If you do, tell us or Dumbledore immediately."

“Why?” he asked. “Hermione said the same thing – but wouldn’t it be useful? I could help the order with intel-“

“Things like this are _dangerous_ , Harry,” James warned. “If Voldemort were to find out you had a connection, and managed to reverse it… Just be careful.”

He sighed. “Alright.”

"We'll be at the ministry soon, so try and prepare yourself," Lily said.

James nodded in agreement. "Get some sleep. We'll call you again, soon."

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

_"Expelliarmus!" He yelled back. A red light burst out of his wand and collided Voldemort's green spell. Out of nowhere, their wands linked together. Harry felt his wand vibrate, as Voldemort's spell slid closer. Using everything he had, he willed his spell forward. He watched, as in slow motion, as the red light pushed its way closer to the tall, pale man in front of him._

_A blue smoke started to emit from Voldemort's wand. The dark wizard looked at it in surprise it started to take form. Harry recognized the old groundskeeper from his dreams. Several more forms materialized out of the smoke and started to drift towards him. A man with messy black hair and thick glasses as well as a woman with long red hair and almond shaped eyes stopped besides him .His heart leapt in his chest when he recognized them. "Mom? Dad?"_

_The man nodded. "Listen carefully," he said quickly. "We can distract him, but only for a moment."_

_"You must get back to the portkey!" his mother urged. He nodded quickly, instantly trusting them._

_Cedric floated over to him. "Will you take my body back? To my father?"_

_Harry nodded again, holding on tight to his wand as his spell continued gaining ground. "It's time!" The man said._

_"Let go Harry! Let go!" Harry took a deep breath and cut the connection. The smoke figures rushed in on Voldemort blinding him momentarily. Harry lunged over to Cedric's body, grabbed the portkey and disappeared with a POP!"_

Harry shot up in bed, panting. He rubbed his burning scar and tried to take a deep, calming breath. The dream replayed itself in his head, leaving him with an uneasy feeling. His parents coming back had something to do with what happened when his wand linked with Voldemort's. They knew what it was, he could tell last night when he brought it up.

 _If no one was going to tell me, then I'll find out for myself!_ He thought to himself indignantly.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

Sirius was munching on a biscuit and reading the Daily Prophet when James entered the kitchen. "Morning Padfoot," he yawned.

"Morning," Sirius said cheerfully. "You talk to Harry last night?" James nodded. "So it's true he popped Draco Malfoy across the face?"

"Apparently the Malfoy boy said something to him and he lost it," James explained.

"What did he say? It's not like Harry to get into a fight - Voldemort not included. He usually tries to ignore Malfoy."

"I don't know," James sighed, slumping into the chair next to him. "He wouldn't say… Why wouldn't he tell us?"

Sirius licked his fingers. "He's a really resilient kid, Prongs. He's gone almost his entire life without anyone to confide in. You can't expect him to just spill his guts now that you’re back."

James grabbed a biscuit off the plate at the center of the table and bit into it vehemently. “He talks to you… And Moony too." He gestured at Remus who had just walked in.

"What about me?" The werewolf asked, pouring a cup of coffee.

"He's upset because Harry wouldn't tell him what Malfoy said to make him punch him," Sirius said.

"They got into a fight?" Remus asked, surprised as he sat down next to them. “That’s very unlike him.”

James proceeded to tell him about the letter from McGonagall and what Harry had told him the night before.

Remus nodded knowingly. "Did you ever stop and think that Malfoy said something about you or Lily, James? And that he might not want to repeat it?"

"Well… No."

"Draco Malfoy has a foul mouth and an obsession with blood status. Just like his father, but with less finesse. I’ve docked house points from him before for saying nasty things about other students – rumor has it Hermione punched him once after he called her a mudblood.” Sirius howled with laughter and James blinked in surprise. “I doubt it's because he doesn't trust you."

"No wonder they hired you as a teacher," James teased. "Know it all." Remus rolled his eyes and unfurled Sirius's paper.

"We've been here longer, Prongs," Sirius said and picked up another biscuit from the tray in front of them. "He's known Remus longer, and likes me more! Give him some time and he'll of known me longer and like you more. All long time, but time." He gave James a wide grin and stuffed it in his mouth.

**IIIIIIIIIIIII**

Harry and Ron were sitting at a circular table by the hearth when Hermione came through the portrait hole. Harry reached over and cleaned parchment and books off a portion of the table for her. "Thank you," she said setting her bad down on the table by his elbow. "What homework are you guys doing?"

"Divination dream charts," Harry said bored.

"I told you should have taken Muggle Studies instead," she said.

"But then we would have to actually do work," Ron joked, dipping his quill into an ink jar. "All you have to do is write about different ways for Harry to die and you get an A."

"Thanks Ron."

"What!" Ron said pointing at Harry's chart. "Eaten by a mandrake, hit by lightning on your broom. You're doing it too!"

"Eaten by a mandrake?" Harry said to himself, toying with the idea. "Not bad. Eaten by a mandrake," he commanded his quick-notes quill. The quill jumped up and scribbled in _eaten by a mandrake_ on the chart.

Hermione pulled out her potions book and a spare piece of parchment. "When do you go back to Madam Pomfrey to get that off?" she asked pointing at his arm cast.

Harry shrugged. "A few more weeks… What do you know about wands, Hermione?"

"Not much," she told him. "It's a really confusing area of study. Why?"

Harry glanced around the common room, making sure no one was in earshot. "I talked to my mom and dad last night," he said quietly. "They said that their coming back had something to do with happened when my wand linked with Voldemort's. They wouldn't tell me anything else."

"Why wouldn't they say?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. They obviously don't want to tell me, though. And I guess they plan on revealing themselves to the Ministry. The Order has been snooping on Death Eaters, and it's clear they're trying to figure out how my parents came back too."

"Well, when they reveal themselves, we'll find out right?" Ron asked simply.

"Of course not!" Hermione said. "They would have to be daft to tell Fudge what really happened. They'll probably come up with something clever, and try to throw You-Know-Who off their trail."

"Hermione's right," Harry said to Ron. "Dad said they were planning their excuse."

"I suppose we could go to the library, and do some research," she said. "But I doubt what you're looking for would be anywhere but the restricted section."

Harry shrugged. "I figured as much. I told them about the dreams I've been having about Voldemort too."

"What did they say?" Ron asked.

"They got really freaked out. Told me to try and keep them from happening. It was weird," he said shaking his head. "They said they were going to talk to Dumbledore about it."

Hermione nodded in agreement with his parents and started to work on homework.


End file.
